Forever After
by His.Pointy.Tongued.Majesty
Summary: The Heirs are chosen. The Balance is set. The Land is threatened. When descendants of an evil long banished put a plan into action, life is changed by a mere child... a new Hero. First few chapters edited!
1. Prologue

Terribly frightened, a princess on a white steed set off from the castle grounds. The muffled clops of the hooves on pavement were the only sounds in the town in front of the gate. The princess' purple eyes stared ahead, brimming with tears. _He hadn't come home yet... where could he be? I need his help..._ she frantically thought over and over again.

She was scared. For three months strange occurances had been happening, things that never happened before, to her anyways. Constantly feeling nauseated, she longed for help, but afraid of what the castle nurses would tell her. She _craved_ for her best friend... the man who she loved so very much, the man who had been gone for so long...

_What if... no. That could never happen to him. He's too strong. Only the sages, I, and he knows of his true calling... he couldn't have been killed... not yet._ She _needed_ him...

There were no soldiers out this night. The princess wondered why, because she remembered ordering them _exactly_ to stay on their shifts until futher notice. Stupid, lazy oafs.

The white horse trotted easily over the wooden bridge, braided tail swaying from side to side lazily. He held his head low, tiredly, and moved along lethargically. His blue eyes were halfway closed, ready to drop at the first sign of rest. And old horse, he was. He had carried the Royal family proudly for many years, and had been the King's best stud. He had sired many foals, and his lineage was said to be legendary. It was said that his great grand-dam had given birth to the mother of the mare of the Hero of Time. Only a horse could tell legend from reality. That mare was sired from an ordinary stallion and an ordinary dam at a ranch down to the south. He snorted and continued plodding on.

The princess looked around. _I'll search all of the Provinces_ _to find him, if I have to,_ she then deflated, _but the Lanayru Province itself is hu-_

She was cut off with a scream as something attacked her. The old horse screamed and fell as sinister claws dug into his shoulder. The princess rolled off of her now helpless steed, who was trying his best to fight off the skeletal monster that had chosen it's prey. The monster growled, and raised its sword.

The princess yelped and turned away as the sword came down on the horse. A short squeal was the end. Through tears, the princess tried to run, but her skirts caught on an unseen root and fell. With the wind knocked out of her, she looked over her shoulder and attempted to scream as the monster charged for her fallen body. Another easy target... another easy prey. The monster howled and raised his skeletal sword, eyes burning with hunger... the princess closed her eyes... _I'm sorry... Link!_

But death did not come. No quick pain to end her life, no light at the end of the tunnel. No warm blanket of black abyss to envelope her.

Slowly, she opened her eyes.

It was an angel from Heaven she saw. He was the most wonderful thing she had ever seen in her life, holding a shining sword locked in a stalemate with the monster and clothed in green garb of a hero. His feirce eyes were intent on killing the thing that had nearly taken the princess' life.

The princess watched with a horrified awe as her hero mightily struck the monster down, and scattered the remaining pile of bones. He fluidly sheathed the sword and walked over to the princess with a warm smile, and a wonderful sparkle in his eye. He offered a hand to help her up.

She took the gloved hand and burst out crying. She threw herself against her hero's chest. "Link!"


	2. Unexpected Surprise

**Chapter 1**

The hero of green draped a cloak over the princess. She was still shaken up after the monster's attack and couldn't stop staring at the place she had been only seconds before her hero showed up. "Link... thank you." she murmered repeatedly.

Link wrapped his arms around the princess. "Do you honestly think I would let you die?" He smiled warmly as he pressed his lips to the top of the princess' head. "Now, Zelda. What the hell are you doing out here?" He gently turned her to look into his crystalline eyes. Princess Zelda couldn't help herself but get lost in the blue depths... his eyes had seen so much... every hour of his days seemed to reflect back through his eyes and into her.

He asked the question again when she failed to answer.

The words sank in quickly, and Zelda felt overwhelming tears block up at the back of her eyes. Everything -the attack, what she needed to tell Link, her father's illness- seemed to be finally seeping out of her. With a sob, Zelda buried her face into Link's steady-breathing chest. "I needed to find you! I don't know when -_if_- I'll ever see you again!"

Confused beyond words, Link tilted Zelda's chin up. "Slow down, and start from the beginning. Tell me one thing at a time." His voice was so soothing, so reassuring, it was impossible for Zelda to _not_ calm down. Soon, her irradicate breathing returned to normal and she took a deep, shuddering sigh.

"My father is sick... and he's trying to get me to marry as soon as possible. But," she paused at Link's knowing smirk, "I don't find _any_ of them appealing. Yes, they are very attractive -all of them-, but none have the qualities that I would want for my husband." Link's small smile showed signs of getting bigger.

"Oh, the grueling life of Hyrule's princess in a nutshell."

"Exactly!" Zelda countered his remark. It was so _easy_ to talk to Link, so easy that Zelda actually enjoyed it. It was so much more than what she could say for the conversations at her home... one formality after another. Sometimes, she envied the hero. Always out in the world, seeing places that Zelda had only heard of, fighting monsters that should only appear in a gleeman's stories, his life sometimes seemed so much more exciting than her own.

But her mind was wandering again. Back to the problem at hand. "But I'm not here about that... Something's wrong... with me." She added at Link's puzzled look. The expression changed immediatly to concern.

Taking another, shuddering breath, Zelda continued on, "I- I don't know what it is... something about me isn't going how it normally should. I'm afraid to go to the doctor in town- I'm afraid of what he'll say." She finished limply. She felt Link's strong embrace circle her, and she settled comfortable against his chest, closing her eyes and listening to the steady rhythm of his heart and breath.

Link still didn't fully understand, but he was able to comprehend enough to know that Zelda was scared. Her face was still pale from her experience with the Stalfos that had nearly taken her life.

He turned his head as the sun started to come over the mountains, sending a blood-red glow into the sky and casting a golden sheen over the two Hylians' faces. Feeling somewhat renewed, the hero rocked Zelda in his arms, trying to comfort her in any way possible.

Galloping hooves reached their sensitive, elfin ears. Many horses... and Hylian soldiers fully clad in armor rode towards the two. Link swiftly stood, pulling Zelda up with him. _...the hell? _he wondered.

Zelda kept close to Link, fear in her eyes at the sight of the soldiers. "No... I don't want to go back... Link! Don't let them take me back. Please!" She violently shook her head, pleading, "I need to stay with you."

The small squad of riders approuched them and made a circle around the two. Link instictivily stepped in front of Zelda. The leader, his helm glinting in the sun, stepped out of the circle of horses. "You are under arrest for the kidnapping of Princess Zelda." The declaration plus the power of the soldier's voice touched a chord of fear within Link. About to protest, Link unfortunately remembered that no one but himself, Zelda, and the sages knew or remembered of his true divine calling as the Hero of Time. Everywhere he went, the myth was the same in all of Hyrule: The Hero of Time is of noble birth. The Hero of Time has supposedly had conference with the Goddesses, and expressed divine powers. The Hero of Time wasn't supposed to be a poor, nomadic boy of seven aging on through to the young adulthood age of eighteen.

"Hand over the princess, and come quietly." The soldier lowered his spear towards Link.

Zelda sensed Link's loss for words and she herself stepped forward. "This man has done me no harm! He is, in fact, Link, my friend and a powerful ally of Hyrule. Let him go as he pleases, under my order: the order of Princess Zelda."

Link turned his head slowly to look at Zelda, raising his eyebrows at the way she had addressed him to the soldiers. Zelda continued to hold her head high, her purple eyes lasering straight into the rider's.

The soldier stumbled for words under his princess's intense stare. "B-but he-"

"You stupid, lazy oaf! Do you not see the scattered bones of a Stalfos here? Do you not see the horse _dead_ behind you? I would have been there next to that horse, bleeding and torn by the monster if Link had not come. Now, leave us here and go back to your posts, before I have you stripped of your rank!" Zelda huffed and snatched Link by the arm, tugging him off in the opposite direction of the castle. She shot piercing glares at soldiers who wouldn't move for her. The look was all it took for them to sidestep their horses out of the way.

Epona trotted forward to greet the Apocolypt-ing Zelda (who was dragging poor Link by the arm). Wickedly amused, Epona snorted and pushed her large head into Link's chest, pushing him as Zelda had been dragging him only moments before. The war-horse's intelligence sometimes got on Link's nerves.

He watched as Zelda indifferently jammed her foot into a stirrup, but hesitated on pulling herself into the saddle. As she did so, her face showed signs of pain. She gasped when she fully settled into the saddle, but smiled at Link's odd look. "I'm fine. Just a-" she winced, "a cramp. That's all."

Convinced that Zelda was having more than cramps, thanks to her earlier story and her constant wincing and hesitation at anything physical, Link gently led Epona away from the castle, knowing that the princess would have a nervous breakdown and plead with him to not take her back.

It was a long way to Lake Hylia, and it was well after noon-high by the time they reached the water's edge. Above them was the Hylia Bridge, casting a large shadow over the crystal blue waters. The Lake was huge, covering at most a good twenty leagues with Zora's River feeding the lake from their domain in the north. The roar of the waterfall was distant enough to talk without yelling at the top of their lungs.

Link helped Zelda down and Epona immediatly lowered her head to take large intakes of the lake's water. She snorted when a fish jumped up and sent a small splash of water into her nose. Link and Zelda watched the huge horse with amusement.

Finally, Zelda looked up at Link's grim face, "Why are we here? I mean, it's better than the castle..." she fixed her question so she wouldn't appear off as rude to Link for helping her get away.

The hero didn't say anything for a long time, staring across the lake to the other side. "I'm taking you to the lakeside doctor. You need to know exactly what's going on. And no one trusts the town doctor, anyways." He added with a meloncholy smirk.

Zelda shrinked away from Link. "Link... You know that I'm afraid to know a doctor's diagnosis." She began to breathe quickly and writhe her hands around each other. Her convulsing heart calmed as Link's own hands placed themselves around her own.

"It will be fine.You'll see." He gave her the most reassuring smile that the princess had ever seen. She suddenly didn't feel scared anymore. The warmth of Link's hands gave her an unknown courage that she couldn't quite place. She mustered up a fierce nod, and Link smiled.

He led her across the floating, wooden bridge to the creaky old house floating in the middle of the lake. Zelda never quite felt comfortable standing on this bridge, knowing that some creature could pop up underneath the wood, causing it to capsize.

Silently, Link knocked in the crooked door of the crooked house. He waited... and waited... before his face took on an exasperated look. He ignored Zelda's amused look and raised his fist to begin pounding on the door.

As he lowered his hand, the door opened... thus causing the force of Link's fist to come down on the doctor's head. Zelda's eyes widened with wicked amusement at Link's, and the doctor's faces. Link's face was utterly horrified. The doctor's was turning red with anger as he rubbed the top of his head. Zelda could only guess what was coming... she covered her ears with her hands.

"BOY!! Have you NO respect for your elders, eh!?" For such a little man, the doctor had a huge pair of lungs. He raised his walking stick and slammed it down on Link's head.

The hero winced as he tenderly rubbed his own head. The stick hurt... he had been wacked by it countless times. "Sorry?" Link offered.

The doctor harumphed. "Your impatience is something that you need to work on." He then noticed Zelda, who was shaking with pent up laughter, "Your Highness." He made a small bow, "What brings you here to Lake Hylia?"

Zelda froze. She looked to Link for help, but only recieved a nod. "I-I don't know... I need help. Something- Something's not right."

The doctor raised a bushy eyebrow, but nodded. "Come inside, my dear." He ushered the princess in, not even waiting for Link. He slammed the door in the hero's face.

Letting out an exhausted sigh, Link laid down in the grass, staring up at the orange sky. This had been a very eventful day... he reflected back. Stalfos, Zelda's breakdown, the guards and Zelda's sudden moodswing, to this.

The wind carried the faint sound of a Zora singing somewhere off in the distance. Link felt his eyes start to close... he just realized how tired he was. Yesterday, he had ridden nonstop just to reach Hyrule by dawn this morning. He had... but that had only launched him into this. He welcomed the sudden tiredness that invited sleep...

"Wake up!"

Link's eyes snapped open when the sharp impact of the stick whacked him on the shoulder. He looked up and raised himself to rest on his hands. "Would you _stop _hitting me!" Link shot back.

The doctor ignored Link and merely stated, "She's pregnant."

Link blinked. Did he just say what he think he said? "...Come again?"

The doctor's wicked mouth split into a smirk. "She's pregnant," he said calmly once more.

Link fell against the wall, hand on his forehead, eyes unnaturally wide.

...he was going to be a father. Him. The very thought made his heart race. _I'm in trouble. If Zelda goes back with _this _news, I'm in serious trouble, as is she. _

The doctor saw Link's face, and nodded understandingly. "You'll have to take her and leave Hyrule. At least until the child is old enough to return here."

Link gave a dark laugh. "And live in exile?" But he looked at the old house where Zelda was within. "If it will protect her... I will."

The doctor nodded gravely. "I know of a midwife in Termina that will house you two until the child is born. I will send a letter to tell her to expect two Hylians," the doctor started to walk back into the house, "Oh, and Link?"

It was the first time that the doctor had called the hero by his name. "Yes?"

"... Good luck."


	3. Shea

**

Chapter 2

**

The wind carried a wolf's howl across the forest. The howl was answered by other notes of the wild dogs as the ears of a bay gelding pricked up. He raised his large head, but was tugged back down as the roan mare he was tethered to kept walking forward. The gelding wasn't laden heavily, seeing as the two Hylians couldn't bring much. Just enough to see them to their destination. Epona felt the lethargic movements of the gelding behind her. She snorted and shook her head. Yes, all of them were tired, even more so the Princess Zelda on her back. The mare felt the woman's growing exhaustion as the child within her grew. Oho, yes. Epona knew. She wasn't a dumb horse.

But the most tired of the group was the man leading her. Her master, Link had walked the entire way from Hyrule to... Epona didn't know where they were going. The place brought back some nostalgia, but she couldn't quite find out where in her mind this memory would place.

Link kept staring at the ground, forcing himself to take one step after another. _One more step... one more... after this one..._ always telling himself that one more step would get him to stop and rest... but he knew that they were close, so close to Termina.

"Link, are you alright?" Zelda's quiet voice turned the hero around.

Link gave a weak smile as his breath came in deep, "Don't you worry about me, Zelda. You just sleep if you need to. Epona won't let you fall," he promised. Zelda gave him a skeptical look.

"You can rest. I feel fine. I can walk." She knew that Link wouldn't buy it. Everytime she did anything physical, her stomach would cramp up.

Link shook his head and continued walking. He felt Zelda's gaze on his back, but he didn't turn around to look at her. He would continue on to Termina, no matter what.

Zelda knew the stress that had suddenly been thrust upon Link. It was because of _her_ that he had to leave his home. It was her fault that he suddenly felt so overprotective. But, really, it wasn't her fault. Yes it was... no... she didn't know. "I'm sorry." She muttered.

Link looked over his shoulder, "Hm?"

Zelda shook her head. "Nothing... nothing at all."

The next twenty minutes were silent as Link led the two horses through the woods, Zelda clutching Epona's mane as she swayed from the rocking motion of Epona's swinging walk. So much was going on through her mind. _Where will they go after the midwife? How will they maintain a normal lifestyle? I'll be living with Link for who knows how long... what will _he_ do? He's not used to such a stand-still life that we'll have. _So many questions... and she didn't have the answers to any of them.

A swooshing sound followed by a sickly cackle stopped the gelding in his tracks. The horse threw his head up, eyes wild. He snorted and stomped his foot. Epona's ears swiveled, and she stopped as well. Zelda felt the horse beneath her tremble, and she started to look around for anything to make the horse scared.

Link reached up to Epona's cheek, shooshing her. The last thing he needed was her going crazy.

The trees and brush rustled, and something screeched. The gelding screamed and tried to get away, fighting against the lead that was tied to Epona. The latter kicked out at the gelding, ordering him to remain quiet though she wasn't exactly calm either. Zelda's fear was evident. "Link... what's going on?"

A skull flew out of the leaves, jaws snapping with its cackle. Zelda screamed. The gelding reared, and Epona kicked out once again. Link swiftly drew his sword from the saddle and stuck the tip through the open mouth of the creature. The skull twitched and fell to the ground.

It was all too much for the princess. She broke down into Epona's mane, muttering incoherent words. Link ran to Zelda, and he heard the phrase, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" over and over again.

Link took Zelda's chin and gently forced her to look at him, "Zelda, it's not your fault. If it's anyone's fault, blame the Goddesses."

Zelda smiled weakly and wiped the tears away from her eyes. "How much farther?"

"Not much. Sleep if you can." Link let his sentance trail off as he lost himself within Zelda's eyes... he shook his head to clear his thoughts as he took the lead in his hands.

The walk was silent, until Zelda asked the most absurd question: "What will we name the baby?"

Once more, Link stopped, but didn't turn around. He was at a loss for words... he honestly didn't know. "I-I... Do you think it's too soon? I mean... too soon to decide?"

Zelda shrugged. "I just wanted to know what you thought. And, you can't forget that it's _your _child, too."

Link thought hard... "Well, during my year away from Hyrule, I heard the name Shea in one of the towns I visited."

Zelda snickered. "Shea? I like Aaron, or Kevn. But what if it's a girl?"

"You know, Shea could also be a girl's name, too." Link defended stubbornly. Zelda snorted.

The sound of wolves echoed again as the hero led the two horses through the woods to Termina.

* * *

A young girl ran outside with two buckets to the well. Her pigtails were loose as her sandaled feet padded on the grassy land. "Crap, crap, crap..." She winced as she heard the agonized scream of the woman from the midwife's hut. As the midwife's apprentice... this type of emergency had _never_ happened in her apprentinship... and it made her to _never_ want children. Ever. 

As she ran, she didn't see poor Link pacing by the well. He was told to stay _away_ from the hut until he was summoned by the midwife... it was driving him nuts. He could hear Zelda's surprisingly sharp, loud screams and curses from down by the well.

In the middle of his brooding... some force rammed into him, nearly sending him over the wall of the well. The girl held the buckets over her head... protect the buckets. She glared at Link. "_You_ did this!" She was a smart girl... too bad that she didn't know the real truth behind Zelda.

Link merely blinked. The girl continued her glare until another scream from the princess followed by the commanding screech of the midwife for water. The girl sighed and thrust a bucket into Link's hands. "Here. Fill it and leave it by the door." She dipped her bucket into the well and ran back to the hut.

The hero did as told, but his mind wandered... this child was divinely born... and he was the father. The reality of it was mind-bending. He didn't even know _how _to be a father! He'd grown up on his own for the majority of his younger life, with the Ordonians as his 'adoptive' parents. But there was no... parental feelings he'd had and learned.

"_WATER!!_" the girl called down to him. Link quickly brought the bucket up to give it to the girl when the midwife stepped out, wiping her hands off with a towel.

"It's alright. He can go in now." The wrinkled old lady looked up at Link and stepped out of the way. Inside was silent. Link made his way to the back room where Zelda was lying on a bed, holding a bundle of cloth in her arms. He knelt by the bed and kissed Zelda on the forehead. She smiled at him tiredly.

"I'm alive." At least she was able to tease him.

Link smiled, and his eyes shifted to the child in Zelda's arms. He brushed away a flap of cloth to reveal the face of the baby. His eyes were closed, and his face was chubby, but Link could tell that he would resemble Zelda an awful lot. "You chose a name yet?"

Zelda nodded, and smiled at Link's curious look. "Shea."


	4. Family of Three

**Chapter 3**

A five year old boy watched the traveling performers with wide, violet eyes. He clutched his father's hand when a performer swallowed a flaming sword and pulled it back out of his throat.

"Remember, folks! Never try any of this at home." The performer reminded his audience. The boy's spirits fell immediatly. Dang...

The boy's interest was regained almost instantly when the performer put a woman in a box and began sticking swords through the box. He looked up at his father with concerned eyes, "Daddy, he's not killing the girl, is he?'

Link looked down at his son, eyes completely the opposite emotion: amused. "No, Shea. It's called magic." Link smiled at Shea's frown.

The boy exhaled sharply and went back to watching the trick. He tried to analyze everything, trying to figure out what was really going on. Of course, for a five year old, he really had no idea how to _analyze_ anything. He just didn't like not knowing anything.

Zelda wasn't watching the performance, although she was worried about the effect it would have on her son. She really didn't need him to be a dare-devil... he was already enough of a troublemaker. The princess-in-hiding of Hyrule was working on her bargaining skills at various stalls... food, cloth, and other household provisions. Being a mother was so different from life in a castle... it was _exciting_. Although, she had to somehow keep eyes in the back of her head for watching her son. She might need to grow eyes on the sides after this performance...

Shea's attention was turned from the young woman appearing out of the box unscathed when _another_ girl -probably around his own age- ran past, chasing a squaking chicken.

"Come_ back_ here you-" the girl lunged for the terrified animal, but fell on her face in front of the crowd. She looked up and blew a strand of hair out of her face, clearly annoyed with the few snickers she had earned. Shea lowered his head to hide his growing smile.

As the girl jumped up again to resume her chase with the chicken, a fairly large man in a bloody apron huffed past. "Stop her! _Theif!_"

The crowd went wild. Some tried to go after the quick girl, but ended up losing her, while others ran away. The poor performers were left with no audience...

Link felt an old fire in him rekindle as he watched. In Termina, there wasn't much use for him to be what he used to be. His past was now locked away in a room back at the house that he rarely went into now. He watched with an ember in his blue eyes as the butcher literally pounded past, screaming the word "Theif, theif, theif," over and over again.

"Stay here, Shea." Link gently sat the boy down in a curb and briskly strode after the girl. Shea quickly lost sight of his dad within the hustle of the chaos. Thinking about running off and finding something better to do, Shea started to hum a tuneless melody.

Zelda turned around, and she immediatly began to search frantically for Link and Shea. Neither of them were visible. "Shea? Shea! Link! Link, where-" she stopped when a man looked at her oddly. Flustered, Zelda quickly covered up what she said. "_Think!_ Where is my... purse?" she finished pathetically as the man continued on his way. The chaos was quieting down now. _Oh yes. We're in hiding._

Link waited at the edge of a road for the chicken and the girl. Sure enough, the girl rushed on past, red hair flying in every which direction. Link shot an arm out and grabbed her by the ear.

"_Ouch! _Le' me go!" The girl screamed, flailing her arms around pathetically. "I'm a princess, now let me _go!_"

A dark chuckle rumbled in Link's chest. "Princess, my ass." He growled as he dragged the girl back where she had previously been running.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow..." she muttered with every step.

The butcher panted up to them, eyes blazing at the girl who was staring at the ground. He took the girl by the ear as Link let go. "Thank you, sir. You've succeeded in helping me catch this street urchin!" The man twisted the girl's ear. She, in turn, took a sharp intake of breath through her teeth.

"I'm not a street urchin!" She cried. _Whatever that is._

The butcher twisted her ear once more, "You shouldn't even have a name, Claire! You are parentless, and penniless. You are lucky that I don't throw you out to scrape the sewers for your meals."

"You still make me do it." Claire muttered under her breath.

"What was that?!"

"Nothing."

"_Nothing?"_

"Nothing, _sir!_"

Link watched with no expression as the fiesty little five year old girl was dragged off by the butcher, who was half screaming, "I still need all twenty-four chickens back by tomorrow at noon!"

"Yes, _sir!!_" Was the girl's retort.

Link exhaled and walked back to the place where Shea was _supposed_ to be. Thank the Goddesses that he decided to listen this time. Wait... Shea was staring at his father was wide, awed violet eyes. Did he see his father help capture the girl?

Apparently, yes.

"W-O-W, daddy. I didn't know you were in the secret police!" Was the boy's awed comment... right as Zelda appeared out of nowhere.

"Oh, really?"

Link winced at her tone. The woman was tapping her foot and had her arms crossed... her expression read lecture all over it.

* * *

It was around sunset when the three saw the house. Epona was carrying the goods that Zelda had bought, using her newly acquired bargaining skills. Shea was happily humming his nameless tune when he caught sight of his home. With a surge of energy found only in young children, he bounded forward towards the door, happily calling out, "I win!" 

Zelda couldn't help but smile at her son's enthusiasm. In a way, he really had a similar personality to Link when he was younger. Zelda hid another smile as memories of Hyrule came flooding back. Shea had a very few differences in facial profiles with Link when he was younger, and Zelda would eventually have to beat girls off with a stick when he reached his teens. But then, Shea would, most likely, have the same personality traits as his father; courage, kind, humorous... and extremely stubborn.

_Oh yes... Link._ She remembered grimly. "Go on inside, sweetie. Daddy and I are going to have a little_ talk_." Zelda shot a whithering look at Link.

Shea grinned and stepped on inside. He kicked off his boots and proceeded in scampering up the ladder to the loft. The loft itself wasn't very large, just spacious enough to occupy his bed, drawers, and a personal chest. All of which weren't big, either. Hung on the wall was a picture of Epona and himself on her back. Link was standing by, making sure that the grinning two year old didn't fall off of the huge mare.

Shea jumped on his bed, swinging his legs back in forth, looking at the wooden horse that his dad had carved for him. It bore three triangles in one, carved smoothly in a lighter wood on the chest of the horse. Shea had asked his dad and mother about the sign, but they both had looked at each other and shrugged it off.

He took the horse and climbed back down from the loft right as Link walked in, followed by Zelda, who was grinning triumphantly. Link had a his infamous defeated look plastered on his face as he kicked off his boots.

Zelda smiled at Shea, the boy staring with a questioning sparkle in his eyes. "You hungry, sweetheart?" Shea nodded eagerly. He scrambled to his feet, still clutching the horse in his hand. Like a little blur, the boy bolted to the small table near the corner of the house and sat down in a chair, placing the little toy on the top.

As Zelda pulled out an assortment of food, she paused, as if remembering something. "Shea, your birthday is in a few days." She looked at Link; both had a shocked visage.

Shea looked up at both of them. "I'll be," he counted on his fingers, "six! I'll be six." He said a matter-of-factly.

The family of three spent the next half hour chatting amicably before Zelda sent Shea off to bed. The boy literally skipped to the ladder and scampered up. He leaped in his bed, curled over in his side and closed his eyes with a smile.


	5. Moo

**Chapter 4**

Shea woke up, and the first thought he had was, _Birthday's tomorrow! _For most children, birthdays were almost better than Father Winter's Day. Almost.

He looked out of the window and was immediatly disappointed to find that he had woken up hours before dawn. Even the horses that his dad raised and training were still sleeping. Shea was overtly proud to have a dad who knew so much about horses. He was the best, so great, that people from all around Termina brought their 'green' horses to him for training. Link did all of the blacksmithing for the horses; vetting; everything.

As Shea was looking out of the window, he squinted his eyes. Something slipped into the barn where their own horses were kept... along with their chickens.

His curiousity was picked. As quietly as he could, Shea climbed down from the loft. As soon as he reached the bottom, he listened for sounds of his parents in the next room: nothing. The boy picked up his boots and slipped outside.

Once in the cold, crisp air of early morning, Shea raced to the barn, pulling on his boots as he went. The dew beaded on the leather as he ran to the barn... where it erupted into chaos. There was a scream and frantic clucking of the feathered animals that were inside. There were a few whinnies of surprise from the horses.

Shea threw himself against the barn doors, and turned on a lamp.

"Aggh! Turn it off!"

There in the middle of the hay-strewn floor of the barn, was the girl from a few days ago. She was wrestling with a chicken, but had thrown a hand up in front of her eyes. "Turn it off! What are you tryin' to do? Blind me?" She snapped at Shea.

The said boy scowled and folded his arms. "What're _you_ doing? That chicken happens to belong to _me _and _my_ family."

The girl glared at him with vivid green eyes and let the squirming animal go. "Well, thank you very much! You just cost me my meals for the next three days. I hope you're happy." She pushed past Shea and stomped out of the barn.

Naturally, Shea felt guilty. He turned off the barn light and closed the door behind him. "Hey... I know of a place where a bunch of chickens run around. They don't belong to anyone..." His eyes widened as he suddenly found green eyes filling his vision.

"_Show me!" _The girl ordered.

Shea stared wide eyed as the girl was suddenly _very _close. "Um... Sh-Shea."

The girl smirked. "Shea? What kind of name is that? Sounds like a _girl's_ name," she giggled, "My name is Claire. Now let's get going! Boss gave me two extra days to retrieve all those chickens that I... misplaced." A micheivious look in her eyes sparkled as she bounded off in front of Shea.

Shea blinked, scowling at Claire's comment about his name, "It is _not_ a girl's name," he muttered as he ran to catch up with Claire. "How many do you need?"

"Four. I got all of them back but four. Turns out some stupid hounds got to them first." Claire informed while running beside the boy.

The rest of the way was silence. The only sound was a couple of early birds whistling a lonesome tune as the kids' feet pounded on the wet earth. Shea was doing his best to remember the exact way to the little grove where a flock of the birds normally spent their days, but it was a little difficult in the dark. Soon, they heard muffled squaking.

Claire's eyes shone, and she leaped ahead and disappeared into the forest bush. Shea slowed, and looked around him. "Claire? Claire? Where'd you go?"

"Over here, you meathead!" Claire's taunting voice echoed throughout the woods.

And then something -or someone- moaned.

Shea slowed to a creaping-walk, looking around him for the source of the eerie moaning. With Claire gone, and the squaking of the chickens not audible, the forest was suddenly very scary, and seemingly dangerous.

The moaning came again, this time closer.

Shea quickened his step to a near jog... when he tripped over a lump. With a yelp, he crashed down... and the thing beneath him cried out too.

"Get _off!_"

The boy scrambled to his feet and leaped away, staring at the black mound that was another boy... his eyes were glaring at him.

The boy's eyes were red, and there was a black birthmark under his right eye. There was a mop of messy black hair bleached pure white in the front, and the boy's face was very angular and sharp. He seemed to be about a year or two older than Shea.

"Who are you?!" The boy sharply barked at Shea. He stood up, and glared down at the smaller boy.

"Sh-"

"_Shea!_ Where are yo-" Claire stomped into the small little clearing where Shea and the other boy stood, holding two now-dead chickens by the feet. She paused in her scolding and looked up and down at the new boy. "Who the heck are you?" Claire put a hand on her hip.

The new boy looked at Claire, to the dead chickens, to Shea. "Blaize."

Claire looked the boy up and down once more. "Blaize? What kind of name is that?" Her smart-ass attitude brought a small snort from Shea, whom Claire had made the exact same comment about his own name only minutes ago.

Blaize scowled at Claire, and didn't say anything. His red eyes were practically on fire... when he looked down suddenly. It was then that Shea took the opportunity to 'analyze' the boy's appearance as well.

Tattered. Burned. Dirty... bloody. Those were the four words that the almost-six-year-old boy was able to place. They spoke _for_ Blaize.

Upon seeing his own appearance, Blaize seemed so shocked that he got lost in his thoughts.

Claire -being the loudmouth she was- voiced her thoughts, "What's with your clothes? I mean... I can kinda understand _why_ you are wearing pretty much all black but," Claire smirked before continuing, "what happened?"

The boy's response was so quiet, that Shea and Claire had to physically lean in: "I can't remember."

Claire whistled... if blowing air through pursed lips was called whistling. "Well, I hope you can remember and find your way home. Me and Shea here," she wrapped an arm around the said boy's shoulders, "are gonna go catch chickens!"

Blaize looked down again. "Home?" the word was vague, and very distant.

Claire raised her eyebrows. "And you are welcome to come."

The boy didn't say anything.

Shea muttered under his breath, "Depressed person who needs therapedic help."

Claire let out a barking laugh and dragged Shea back to where she had crashed through. "C'mon, Shea. I found those chickens you were talking about."

Soon enough, Shea heard the squaking and various clucking up ahead. There was the little sound of water as well. He and Claire crouched down in the brush, watching the wild birds mill about stupidly. Brown, gray, and white, they were all the same: stupid.

Shea noticed something leap onto a branch above him and Claire. It was Blaize. Shea narrowed his eyes at the older boy. _Show-off._

But surprisingly, Blaize didn't make a sound on the branch as his red eyes watched the birds walk dumbly around the clearing.

And then Claire bolted out, and lunged at one of the surprised chickens who had the misfortune of being the closest one. It gave a surprised squack, and Shea swore he saw those beady black eyes widen as the girl came down on top of it. "Got it!" She cried in triumph and held the unconcious bird by the legs.

By now, the chickens had moved to the complete opposite side of the clearing. Blaize had raised his eyebrows. "Couldn't have done it better myself." His voice drawled with unhidden sarcasm.

Claire didn't back down from the mocking comment. "Thank you. And you probably couldn't, seeing how girls are so much more agile and faster than boys," she winked as Shea look her way with a peircing glare.

"Hey!"

Blaize smirked. "Well, then I'm sure that you and your other _girl_ of a friend can handle your little round-up." He leaned back on the tree trunk and moved his black and white hair out of his eyes.

Shea stomped right up to the lower branch and did his best to jab the older boy in the chest. "If I'm a girl, then you're a _cow_."

Blaize looked at Shea with bored eyes before sighing. He jumped off of the branch and reached up, snapping a thick twig off the tree before walking over to the group of chickens. They looked at him with blinking, black eyes before scattering. Quick as a flash, Blaize stuck the stick in the way of a fleeing chicken, sending it running towards him. Too late it realized this, because right as it turned around, Blaize had grabbed the bird by the neck and cracked it. Smirking, he held the dead bird out to Shea. "Moo."

Shea took the bird, staring at it with an open jaw.

Claire's green eyes were sparkling crazily. "W-O-W. Blaize, you have to teach me how to do that."

Blaize gave a single, "Hm," before leaping back onto his branch to watch Shea and Claire rally the other two needed chickens.

Unwilling to be beaten out by Blaize, Shea dropped to his stomach and army-crawled to the group of chickens. They looked at him, and he froze. Only when they went back to pecking the ground, did Shea leap at them. He stretched his hands out, and miraculously he grabbed hold of a leg. The stupid bird squeaked and fell to the ground, flapping it's wings fretfully. Shea leaped to his knees and cracked the neck. It was surprisingly easy. He stood, and turned around to see Blaize's eyes gleaming maliciously and... and... he was _shaking_ with laughter.

Shea waved his hands in the air, flailing the chicken around. "_WHAAT!?_ All I did was-"

He stopped as a shadow overcame him. Shea hunched his shoulders as he felt something angry behind him. Slowly, Shea turned around and looked up at the 'monster'. It was wearing a green, wool-woven shirt... tan breeches... angry blue eyes, and dirty blond hair.

"H-Hiya, Dad! What are you doing out so early... eh... hehe..." Shea died off pathetically as the full extent of Link's blue eyes were forced down on him. The man pointed in the direction of the forest entrance. "Walk."

Shea hung his head and hand, dragging the dead chicken over to Claire, who was holding the one that Blaize had killed and the three that she had gotten. She gathered all five chickens in her arms and glared up at Link. "Fun-leech." She muttered under her breath before looking at Shea with sympathetic eyes. Before she ran off, she mouthed, _I'll come by soon_. She nodded her goodbye to Blaize as she disappeared into the trees.

But Blaize had disappeared.

Shea didn't have time to ponder his disappearance before Link grabbed Shea's ear. "Ow, ow, ow, ow..." he openly yelled as Link dragged the boy home.


	6. Candles

**_I think that most of you have realized this, but this story is going to pretty much revolve around Shea. I had wanted to create a story that isn't just about Link and Zelda and whatnot. _**

**_I thank all of you for your encouraging reviews, and I hope to get more!_

* * *

**

**Chapter 5**

Shea spent the rest of the day after the escapade with Claire sitting in his loft. He had hoped that his mother would sympathize with him for sneaking out, but that really didn't work. She was just as angry as Shea's father was; thus, she had grounded the boy to his room for the remainder of the day.

So now he sat on his bed, staring out the window with a scowl on his face. The image of Blaize laughing at him was still fresh in his mind; the way the older boy looked at him as though Shea was lower than dirt; the way he had thrown back the 'cow' comment right in his face... Shea hated him.

He watched the sun sink lower and lower over the tree tops, and the stars started to sparkle across the night sky... that was when voices came from downstairs.

"...I really don't think he should be wandering out in the woods like that! You remember when we first came here... we were attacked by that-"

Shea perked up. His mother sounded worried, and was discreetly talking to Link somewhere in their room. Shea leaned his head over the loft railing, and saw that their door was slightly open. He couldn't see the two adults, but he could hear them.

"I know that. He was with that girl from the village a few days ago, and some other kid... I only got a breif glimpse of him before he just... took off. His eyes were red, and there was a strange mark under one of them." Link informed Zelda, who was on the verge of frightened tears. Link's voice dropped to a barely audible whisper, "I've heard the guards in the town talking about a dangerous child from the Exelian tribe who has murdered a good deal of people. Their description was of a 'child of Hell, with eyes as bright as fire and hair as black as a raven's wing.' Zelda, Shea can't be anywhere near the Exelians! They'd know who he is in a heartbeat."

Shea's brow furrowed. He was Shea... he knew that! Who were these Exelians? Was Blaize really _that _dangerous? Were they even talking about Blaize at all? Maybe it was some other kid with red eyes and cow hair.

Zelda started speaking after a minute of silence. "Link... yesterday... I heard that- well, the north is at war. My fa- ... The King has died, and I..." Zelda broke down. "I can't leave... I can't! Shea is here, and you! I wouldn't want to leave you for the world..."

And then the door shut, though Zelda's sobs were still heard, and Link's reassuring whispers.

Shea strained his ears for more conversation. He caught words, but nothing that he could string together to figure out exactly what his parents had been talking about. But he had so many questions. What was at the north? He didn't even know that there _was_ a place north of Termina. And, why would his mother leave? It didn't make any sense.

He climbed back in his bed, pondering what he had just heard. Soon his head started to hurt, and his thoughts brought him into the world of sleep.

* * *

"Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday, dear Sheeeaaaa... Happy birthday to me!" Shea marched around the farm, waving a stick in the air. He was grateful that there wasn't a cloud in sight: means that he could romp around until the sunsets if he wanted to. 

Link watched his son with a smile that brought small wrinkles around his eyes. He then turned his head back to the horseshoe that was halfway nailed into the back hoof. The leg of the horse was held firmly between Link's arm and body, since this particular horse had a horrible reputation for kicking his farrier in the back.

Shea jumped up on the fence of Epona's private pen. The mare trotted forward to greet the boy with a push in the chest with her head. Shea rubbed the white blaze on her face, wiping away the forlock that fell over her eyes. "Hello, Epona. Guess what today is?" Shea asked the mare, who merely closed her eyes. "My birthday!"

Epona threw up her head, and looked over at one of the many paths in the area. Shea turned his head over his shoulder and his eyes lit up when Claire appeared on the path, skipping. Shea blinked. She was... skipping. "Hey, Claire!"

The girl waved to Shea as the boy ran to meet her. "Shea! Boss gave me a day off since I brought back an extra chicken!" She informed as she avoided the tumbling form of Shea (who tripped over his own feet). Claire shook her head and laughed. "Clutz."

Shea wiped the dirt off from around his eyes and glared up at Claire, but then glanced over at his father... Link was watching out of the corner off his eye at Shea and Claire. Shea remembered the day that he and Claire had 'met.' It didn't leave a good impression on both of their parts... He decided to change the subject. "Guess what, Claire?"

"What?"

"It's my birthday today!" Shea grinned. Claire's eyes lit up.

And then without another word, Claire turned on her heel and bolted off back towards the village.

Shea blinked... odd. _Oh well. _He picked up his stick and began running around again, flailing the stick around like a sword. "Look, Dad! I'm a hero! _Back you filthy beasts!_"

Link looked up when the last nail was put in place. He watched Shea whack random objects with the stick, and couldn't help but smile. Looking at the boy reminded him of his previous life... back in Hyrule...

The sound of a door opening and closing brought Link back to reality. Zelda walked out, holding her basket. "I'm going down to the market. Be back later. Shea, be a good boy and mind your father." She leaned down and kissed Shea on the forhead, avoiding his random whacking. She walked to Link and smiled as he drew the princess close.

Shea looked at his parents with disgust. Well, for a six year old, seeing your parents kiss wasn't exactly the most appealing thing in the world. So, he turned his head away and ran off, smacking different objects with the stick.

* * *

Shea was growing impatient. He had resolved to pace outside of the front door, waiting for his mother to return from the town. Because when she got back, that was when they would officially celebrate Shea's birthday. He hadn't seen Claire again since the morning when she swiftly came and went. 

Shea groaned. "Momma! What is taking you?"

He sat down crosslegged in the middle of the path that lead to their front door, and rested his chin on his hand. He'd wait there all night if he had to.

"Shea! Come inside." Link opened the door.

"I'm waiting for Momma!"

"She'll be back soon. It's not even sunset." Link stepped outside and sat down next to Shea. They both sat in silence for a little bit before Link snaked his arm out to grab Shea's side. The boy yelped and started giggling as Link continued to tickle him. Link merely smiled.

"Stop! I can't... breathe!!" Shea said in between gasps of giggles and yelps.

Link laughed and settled with ruffling Shea's hair, who continued to watch the road for his mother.

It wasn't long before Zelda appeared over the rise, but she was walking too slow for Shea's liking. He jumped up and ran to his mother. "Momma! C'mon, you've been gone all day and I am _inpainting!" _

Zelda laughed. "It's impatient, dear." But behind the pleasant sparkle in her eyes, and the rosy glow that came with her smile and laugh, she looked weary and utterly wasted. She kissed Shea on the forhead before looking for Link. She didn't need to say anything to tell Link that they needed to talk as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Shea was dragging his mother by the hand to the house, dead set on getting her into it.

Zelda went along with her son, willingly being pulled. "Ok, ok. I'll be there in a second." She gently freed herself from Shea's 'death-grip' and went to stand by Link.

When Shea was fully inside, Zelda let out a huge breath. "Link. Hyrule is in danger. They _need_ me... they need the Royal Family, and I'm the only one left," she looked from Link, to the house, "but I can't leave my son and you. But I can't take both of you with me." Her voice dropped to a whisper, "I don't know what to do." A small tear rolled down her cheek.

Link closed his eyes and enveloped Zelda in his arms. "We knew that this would have to happen. We knew that Hyrule would need you sooner or later."

"But Shea-"

"I'll take care of him. You go. Hyrule needs you; you're their leader, their hope. It must have been devastating when we left, their future ruler abandoning them for some reason that they had no idea about," Link smiled as he brushed away a strand of hair from Zelda's eyes, "Go back to Hyrule."

Zelda closed her eyes and leaned into Link's chest. Her mind whirled, _What will Shea do? What will he think, his mother suddenly leaving. I can't just leave Link here alone... for the past six years, people in this village have seen him with me. What will they think? He and Shea might have to relocate and... I don't know if I can _live_ my old life after this... without Link near to help me... Goddesses help me!_

* * *

"Momma... I don't understand-" Shea started as Zelda tried not to cry in front of him. 

"Shea, listen to me one more time: Mommy is going to go on a trip, and she doesn't know when she'll be back. But I'm not leaving until you celebrate your sixth birthday. This present I am giving you was given to me by my mother. I have always cherished it, and now I am giving it to you," Zelda smiled and wrapped Shea's small fingers around a box. The box was small, and was only ornamented with a golden lace. Shea didn't say anything, but he threw himself into his mother, wrapping his small arms around her neck. "Shea, I love you. Never forget that."

Shea shook his head violently, "No! _No no NO!_ You have to stay!"

"Shea-"

"Can't you go on a trip _another_ time?"

"Shea, I can't. Didn't you hear me? I have to go now. Something urgent came up, and I-"

"_What_ came up?" Shea demanded. His jaw was thrust out defiantly as a tear rolled over it.

Link touched Shea's arm in a way that said: 'dont-talk-to-your-mother-that-way'. But he couldn't find it in himself to say a thing.

Shea shrugged him off with another tear. "No." he said again with an enormous sniff. "It's not fair." Shea wasn't looking at her now.

"Oh Shea," Zelda didn't want to let go of her son. She clutched him close, digging her fingers into his shirt. She rocked him back and forth, humming her the lulluby that had been passed down from generation to generation back in Hyrule. It was the song that had always put Shea to sleep, that he had known for the six years of his life. And now it was the song of goodbye.

Finally, Zelda forced herself to part from Shea. The boy's face was red from not crying. His lower lip trembled as he clung to his mother's arms. Zelda couldn't bear to see him cry. "Goodbye, my precious Shea." She stood and walked to Link and the horse, and looked at Link. She tried to say her goodbyes, but when she opened her mouth, only a great sob forced her to wrap her arms around Link's neck.

Link hadn't said anything during the said goodbyes, but now he whispered something that Shea couldn't hear into Zelda's ear. His mother seemed to calm down only slightly as she kissed Link breifly before stepping into the stirrup and vaulting into the saddle.

Shea couldn't watch his mother ride away. He opened the box. Inside was a golden amulet on a long golden chain. The amulet was the same symbol as the one on his wooden horse: the three triangles in one.

He clamped the box shut and sprinted to the horse's side. "Momma!! _No!_" He pulled at the reins of the horse, reaching up his mother. He only managed to grasp a stirrup, but it was only breifly; Link grabbed him around the waist and tugged him back. With a swift sweep of his hand, he smacked the horse's rump and fell to the ground, shaking, Shea still wrapped in his strong arms.

Shea tried to push his dad away, still screaming. But Link couldn't let go.

"NOOO!" Shea clawed at his father's arms, doing everything in his power to get away. "Let. Me. _GO_!" he sobbed.

"Stoppit!" Link ordered through his own tears. "Shea, _listen to me_! Shea!"

"NO! I hafta get Momma!"

"SHEA!" Link held him tighter and his voice lowered."...You have to let her go," tears rolled down his own face, "she has to do this, Shea, you have to let her go." Link looked up after where Zelda had gone. She was just a speck in the sunset now.

"I don't care!" Shea gulped. He pushed himself from his father with another flailing heave and Link let him go. He didn't have the strength to even stand, let alone hold his thrashing son. Shea stumbled a few times before setting out in a full run after his mother. He had only the faintest idea of where he was going through his blurred vision when he finally stumbled to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably. "Momma... Come back..."

Zelda was misplaced in her saddle as the animal leapt forward. By the time she had corrected herself and looked back, they were gone from view.

* * *

Only hours after Zelda's departure, Shea walked into the kitchen where his father sat. The air in the room was very heavy with greif, and it weighed on both of their shoulders like a thousand bricks. The only light in the room was a single candle.

Shea watched a droplet of wax slid down the candle, "Daddy, the candle is crying."


	7. The Day After

**_Holy cow, those were probably the quickest reviews I've gotten yet. Thank you all!  
Some of you have questions about characters and such, and I am going to start responding to reviewers._**

**_Animalcxing: The ending was very hard to come up with. Blaize is my cousin's character. Don't steal him, cuz she's trying to get him published. :D Anyways, he's an Exelian. I can't give out more than that at the moment._**

**_AnimeWildfire: Hey, I'll give you a hollar if I am in need of your expertise :. Thanks for your support!_**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

Though the sun was shining ridiculously bright, a black cloud hung over Shea's home. Even the horses seemed depressed; Epona hung around in her pen, ears and head drooping, refusing to wolf down her feed as she normally did.

Shea's eyes were glued to the road, the image of his mother riding away still shimmering in the daylight heat. He didn't know how long he sat on the ground, watching the horizon; he didn't know what time it was, or what day it was. All he knew was that his mother was gone.

"Momma..." he whined to no one.

And he continued to sit.

Shea squinted his eyes: a figure was climbing the path. His spirit's soared, _Momma!_ He wondered if maybe she had changed her mind, and decided that the best thing was to stay with her family! _Momma!_

The figure waved obnoxiously, "Shea! Hiya!"

Shea blinked, and within a second he realized who it was. He lowered his head and shuffled his feet. He knew he shouldn't get his hopes up like that... and he knew that one thing was for certain: his mother wasn't coming back.

Subconciously, he reached up and grasped the amulet that was now around his neck. It felt strangely warm, and lighter than what it appeared to be.

Claire's green eyes suddenly filling his vision once more brought the boy back to reality, "Hello-oo!! Earth to Shea! What's with the long face?" She grinned, "I have something for you."

Shea sniffed, forcing himself to not cry in front of Claire. "Alright." _If only you could bring my mother back._

Claire grinned, "TA-DA!!" She whipped out from behind her back a (poorly) crafted chicken made of twigs and wire. Obviously, she was overtly proud of it and was grinning from ear to ear, "Happy late birthday! I couldn't find the wire to bind everything together yesterday."

Upon sight of the twig-chicken, Shea couldn't help but smile. Gingerly, he wrapped his fingers around the chicken... when it burst into a cloud of twig and wire. Claire screamed and started yelling, "NO no no no no no no _no! Stupid thing!_"

But the gift was scattered in the ground, the wire and twigs laying in a heap. Claire's shoulder's fell, "Ah well. It _was _stupid, anyways."

Shea looked at Claire's face. He felt really grateful for what she had done, even though her efforts 'broke.' Without thinking, Shea gave the girl a friendly hug. "Thanks, Claire."

The girl was stunned, but eventually relaxed, "Happy birthday."

* * *

"Hey, guess what? I saw Blaize again!" Claire announced as she and Shea sat in Epona's now empty pen. The sounds of a hammer and Epona's grunting came from inside the barn. 

Shea raised an eyebrow, "Oh, really?"

Claire nodded enthusiastically, "Yup! He seemed _very_ distant this time, like he was _insanely_ lost in thought. He was still wearing those clothes that we saw him in the other day: torn, dirty, burned, and bloody."

Shea looked down at the ground, remembering one of the conversations he had heard from his parents; of the 'dangerous Exelian child,' murdering... and there _had_ been a fire a few days before that... _and_ he was so distant, especially when Claire mentioned 'home.'

"Shea? _Shea_? Are you listening to me?" Claire poked him, hard.

"Wha? Oh, yeah." Shea plastered a grin on his face.

Claire gave him a skeptical look, "You're still not upset about that night? So what if Blaize is so much cooler than-" she stopped at Shea's hard look, "well... he is older. I'm sure you'll be as cool as him in a few years!" She fixed her mistake. "Anyways, I've been practicing that chicken-catching technique he used..."

But Shea wasn't listening. He had put two and two together: Blaize had something to do with that fire.

* * *

"Bye, Claire!" Shea waved goodbye as Claire bounded off back towards the village. Seeing her run off into the sunset brought back a pang of sorrow. _Momma..._

"Shea, come inside." Link appeared from around the corner. Despite his overwhelming sorrow, Shea couldn't help but snicker. His dad was covered in dust and there was a huge bruise on his cheek.

Almost hearing his son's thought, Link smiled. "Been trying to break that bay colt."

"The skittish one with the hock knees?"

"That's him."

Shea smiled and was about to step into the house when he remembered the remains of the chicken that Claire had given him. "One second, Dad." He bent down and began to scoop up the wire and twigs.

* * *

The subject of Zelda was completely out of the question. Either of them refused to talk about her, for the moment anyway. The hour of which they would all normally eat together was silence, and Shea poked around on his plate with his fork. "I'm not hungry." He whined. 

Likewise, Link had barely eaten anything, but said indifferently, "Eat, Shea."

"_You're _not eating. Why should I?"

"Because you are still growing."

"So?"

"Eat your dinner, Shea."

"_No!" _Shea threw down his fork and sat back against his chair, folding his arms with a huff. He stared his father down in the eyes, determined to win this staredown.

Link gave in with an exhasperated sigh. He rested his head in his hands, eyes closed. Shea took that as a sign that he was excused. He hopped down from the chair and climbed up to his loft, where he fought tears of despair until his father called up to him to go to sleep.

* * *

Shea _should_ have been asleep. Instead, he was attempting to put the chicken back together. And so far... he wasn't having much luck. 

"Just like the live things... _stupid!_" Shea hissed as the wire snapped for the up-teenth time that night. Exhasperated, he threw the twigs and wire to the floor and climbed in bed, scowling. _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

He drew the blankets up to his chin, but didn't close his eyes. He was afraid that when he did, images of his mother would come flooding against him like an opened dam against a river.

Shea sat up again when a dim glow from downstairs was made visible. He quietly got down from his bed and looked over the small railing. His eyes were adjusting to the glow that came from... the secret room.

He wasn't aloud to go in there... his father had forbidden it. Shea had always wondered why; time to time he noticed his dad going in there and not coming out for a while. Once, he had asked about it, but his father only reminded him once again to not go in there.

...he could just _sneak_ a look. He could be _really_ quiet and just see what was in there.

No. He could get in _huge_ trouble. He was talking big. REEEAAALLLY big. Mountain size big.

Aww... It _was_ just _one_ look.

No! Huge trouble.

One look.

One look.

Shea nodded to himself and quietly went down the ladder. He winced once when it gave a loud squeak, but no one came out of the room. He successfully reached the bottom of the ladder and tip-toed over to a wall. He pressed himself against it, and waited; no one came out of the room. His heart pounding, Shea inched himself closer to the door-frame. His blood was pulsing in his ears, drowning out any small noises of the night.

Something from inside the room moved... it sounded like an item was being picked up. Gathering up his courage, Shea took a deep breath, and leaned his head over the corner to look into the room.


	8. Everything I Have

**Chapter 7**

In his entire life, he never would have imagined anything like this being in his own home. Shea's violet eyes were wide, trying to drink in everything. The light illuminated the walls, showing a very intricate map of some other land that wasn't Termina; a sheild was hung on the wall, blue with a design that was foriegn to him; a stand with green clothing folded neatly was in the corner. Shea's father kneeled -almost respectfully- in front of an elaborate chest.

Unseen, his father picked up an item -it was like a flute-. Shea couldn't see anything, but he heard a soft, silver stream of music. He had never heard anything so pure and beautiful in his entire, short, six-year life. He couldn't describe the music in one word; it was soft, yet sharp; it was clear, mixed with foggy notes that couldn't be placed; the tune itself was unlike anything he had heard.

Shea began to slowly back away until a gleam of light caught his eye: the silver blade of a foriegn crafted sword.

Now, Shea had never seen his father do so much as touch a sword in his entire life. Why would he have one hidden away in this little room, along with items that boggled his mind? It didn't make any sense...

His six-year old mind wandered back to the night before his mother had to leave. Something about going back... the way both of his parents shrugged off questions about the three triangles and the words they used, such as 'Din,' and 'Goddesses.' In Termina, they certainly didn't worship any goddesses... Shea had grown up learning about the four giants: North, East, South and West.

Shea's father stopped playing when the boy accidentally stepped on a loose floorboard. Freezing, Shea prayed that he wouldn't be discovered. When the music started up once more, Shea stepped lightly to the ladder and climbed up, leaping in bed right as Link closed the door behind him.

* * *

The next morning, Shea woke up from dreams of green-clad swordsman, a woman bathed in golden light, fire, and the same golden triangle. _It must just be coincidence, _he thought as he subconciously touched the amulet that rested under his shirt. 

"Shea, wake up!"

The said boy groaned. In truth, he wanted to sleep longer, thanks to his little escapade last night... along with his discovery of the back room. But, not to bring down the wrathe of his father, he lethargically crawled out of bed and down the ladder, blonde hair tassled over his eyes.

Link was just walking out of the back door, pulling on his gloves. "Quickly eat something, and come outside. I need you to help me with something."

Shea nodded groggily. There was no evidence that his father had been in that room last night. It was like the regular routine... except without Momma.

* * *

"Stupid horse!" Shea muttered as he struggled to throw manuer over the fence into an already large, and accumulating more, pile, and glared at Epona, "This is all _your_ fault." 

The horse snorted and let her ears droop. It was amazing that one horse could produce so much _crap_ in less than two days. Shea's face fell when he somehow multiplied every horse they owned and or trained...

When he had gone out that morning, Shea didn't realize that the 'something' that his father needed help with was scooping all of the horse's belongings...

The day passed ultimately slow for the boy shoveling the 'presents' from the horses. As the sun finally gave some relinquish from the heat, Shea threw the fork into a shed and ran inside, throwing off his boots before reaching the door. Being a boy at the age of six, the only word that ran through his mind at the time was _food_. Without waiting for his father to say anything, Shea hopped up into a chair and looked at his surprised father expectantly.

With a small grin, Link ruffled Shea's hair and laid a plate down on the table. Shea quickly stabbed at it with his fork, and popped it into his mouth. He chewed for a second, before pinching his nose up. "Daddy, you did something wrong."

"And how would you know?" Link folded his arms.

"I don't know. But this isn't what Mommy made. It tastes different."

Link stayed silent; Shea looked down when he realized what he had said. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

Link pulled a chair up beside Shea, and took the boy's hands in his own. "It's ok. I miss her too."

Shea looked at his tiny hands lost in the callused hands of his father's. He then looked into Link's eyes, his own violet orbs unblinking, and wrapped his arms around his father's neck. They were all they had...


	9. Bad Reunion

**_Sorry, everyone. I've had major writer's block and haven't been able to get through the last chapter before this... that's why it was so short. _**

**_S4NDM4N: I know where I'm going to go with this... it's just getting there is the hard part._**

**_Twilight Stallion: I've had a huge run of writer's block... that's why the past few chapters have been kinda short. And I would imagine leaving your family for who knows how long would be pretty emotional. _

* * *

**

**Chapter 8**

"Claire! Hold up!" An eleven year old boy ran through the Termina market, pumping his arms in order to catch up with the vivid red-headed girl in front of him. His sandy blonde hair blew around his face, revealing bright, purple eyes. His nose was sharp, and his face was smooth and very attractive. People had told him that his family would have to beat girls off with a stick. A loose, black, sleeveless shirt hung on his skinny frame as he ran, tan pants tucked into his leather boots.

Claire, turned around, her exceptionally bright green eyes sparkeling with wicked amusement. "Oh, stop being a baby." She stuck out her foot, and watched as Shea tripped and fell on his face.

He moaned.

Claire put a hand behind her elf-like ear and bent down. "What? I didn't understand you." She grinned.

"I'm... going... to... kill... you!" Shea slowly brought his head up and glared at Claire. He watched as she threw her head back and started to laugh hysterically. He deflated. "What!?"

"I'm sorry! You look... so funny!" She had ended up on her back rolling, clutching her stomach.

Shea blinked and wiped his hand along his face...

"Hey! Kid!" A shadow blocked the sun and stood over Shea, "You just knocked over my paint!" He pointed at the newly built house that -apparently- he had been painting.

Shea stood up, and looked at the man square in the face. "Listen. _I_ wasn't the one who put the stupid paint in the _middle_ of the road! So, inevitably, it would have gotten tipped. See the logic?" Shea tapped the man's head.

The angry person grew deep red in the face, "I'll be telling your parents about this! This, this in_sufferable_- Kids these days! No respect..."

But Shea and Claire were long gone.

* * *

The two kids collapsed on the forest floor, laughing. They were surrounded by unlit torches, old sheets hung up on the tree branches and boxes places around the small clearing. This was their place; their place where they could talk freely, act however they wanted, or just to be alone. 

Their laughing died away as they both reflected on the earlier events of the day... well, at least Shea had been able to get his face clear of paint. His eyebrows and bits of hair were still white with dried paint.

They both listened to the quiet sounds of the forest, when Shea looked at Claire. "Do you know of any lands to the north? I mean, other than this forest here?"

Claire looked at Shea as though he were speaking another language. "What are you talking about?"

The boy just shook his head. "Nevermind. Forget I said anything."

Claire snorted and smiled, breifly keeping her eyes on Shea's face, before her own started to feel hot. She looked away, shaking her head. "Did your dad say anything about letting you keep one of Epona's foals? Oh, and how is that old horse, anywhoes?"

Glad for a change of subject, Shea merely shrugged. "I don't know. Epona _is _the best horse in Termina, from what I've seen, despite her age. And horses dammed by her are worth a lot. But," he saddened a little bit, "this is her last foal before she can't have any more. I mean, for one thing, she's getting old. And, if she's overbred, the horses aren't worth as much."

"I see you've been talking to your dad about this. A lot." Claire teased.

"Hey, it's probably the only way I'll be able to earn any income, so I have to know the basics!"

"Who wants to spend their life around sweaty old horses? And their crap?"

"I do!" But Shea turned thoughtful, before continuing, "I might be a blacksmith, or something. Or I might join the Termina Militia."

Claire raised her eyebrows. "We both know _that_ won't happen. I mean, just _look_ at yourself! Skinny as a twig."

They both howled with laughter. The very image of Shea in a full body of armor was just too much for both of them.

And this was how it was for the rest of the day.

* * *

Shea snapped out of bed five hours later, when he heard his father finally go to sleep. He climbed down the ladder from the loft, carrying his boots under his arm. Quietly, he tip-toed across the wooden floor in his socks. Almost to the door... 

_CREEAAKKK._

Shea froze on the spot, removing his foot from the squeaky floorboard. Nothing stirred. He exhaled and carefully stepped over the floorboard, and slipped out the door.

In the cool night air, Shea jammed on his boots and bolted off toward the barn. He rouned the corner... and nearly rammed into Claire. He grabbed her shoulders to keep from toppling over... but succeeded in taking both of them to the ground. With a couple of scratches, they realized that they were only inches away from each other's faces. With a cry, they both pushed away.

"'bout time you got here." Claire said sternly, ratting her red hair distractedly.

"Sorry. My dad never sleeps_. Ever_." Shea retorted. He sniffed.

Claire stood up, and cocked her hip. "Well, let's go! I haven't got all morning. There's something -erm, _one-_ I want to show you." And she bolted off.

Shea stood and ran after her into the forest.

* * *

Now used to the constant running needed to keep up with Claire, Shea reached their little 'place' without too much panting and breathing. Hey, he didn't even break a sweat. A new record! 

...But his mood was shattered into complete disgust and horror at what -or who- was sitting against a tree. The smirk... the taunting eyes... the same cow-like hair...

"Claire. Can we talk? _Now?_" Shea hissed to Claire. But the girl just ignored and waved to Blaize.

"Glad you waited. Shea took longer than expected."

The fourteen-year-old Blaize kept staring at Shea with a mocking smile. "Primping to go out, like most _girls?_"

Shea felt rage boil in his gut. He just wanted to sock one to this kid's face... but he worst part was, he couldn't come up with an amazing comeback to the comment. Instead, he went with sarcasm, sweet, _dripping_ sarcasm, "Oh, of course I was. I couldn't find my perfume!" He shot, making sure to lace his words with disgust.

And then a memory remembered. His mother and father were talking about Blaize... danger... murder... fire... "You. You need to get out of here, before I go get the guards."

Claire's head whipped around to stare at Shea, confused by the sudden change of tone his voice had taken on.

But Shea continued, "I know you had something to do with that murder a few years back. The fire. That's why you were so out of it that last time we saw you. You were still shocked from what you had done."

The red-eyed boy across from Shea and Claire hadn't said anything. But they could see a smile playing on his lips... and then he started to laugh. It wasn't an evil laugh. It was as if Shea had said something hilarious. "Did you actually come up with that theory on your own?" He said, snickering heavily.

Claire looked between Shea and Blaize, bewildered. "What did Blaize do? What theory? Hello?!"

Both boys ignored the girl. Shea watched with an unchanging expression as Blaize laughed. But his mind was shocked. Blaize was... _laughing_ at him! Shea knew it was true. He did!

Blaize let out a final 'haha' before looking at Shea again, still grinning maliciously. "I am dangerous, that's right. But the fire..." his face hardened, "you know _nothing._" The word was almost growled out, like a feral beast. His eyes enflamed, and the unlit torches around the area had a flicker of flame for a split second... before Blaize stood and ran away.

Claire stared at Shea with an open jaw. "What was _that_ about?" She waved her hand in a circle, indicating that she saw what happened with the torches. But, mostly it was just about Shea's 'crazy' accusation.

But the boy was just as bewildered as the girl next to him. Blaize had just... suddenly... he seemed to have gotten so _mad._ Talk about mood-swings. "Let's just go."


	10. Sneaking and Brooding

**_Sorry about the huge wait, everyone. Writer's block has been hitting me bad. So, enjoy!_**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

_She was so close... he could almost feel her. He could smell her floral aroma, hear her crystalline laughter. But he couldn't see her. He kept running, trying to reach... but always she would slip out of his fingers. The shadow woman just kept laughing, and calling him by his name. But he couldn't reach her. _

_Almost there... No... "Mother... come back!" he cried out, feeling cold liquid spill over his eyelids. _

_And then he was falling... falling into a never ending crevice filled with forgotten memories with empty arms around him. He saw his father, blue eyes always filled with laughter. _Not like that anymore._ he thought bitterly as he desperately tried to stop falling back into his mind, unable to remember his own mother. But wherever he reached was another empty memory. Every hand-hold, every foot-hold held another remembrance of a woman who was once there..._

_He kept falling..._

* * *

Shea bolted upright in his bed, chest heaving. He felt his pulse pound in his neck as he shivered from the sheen of cold sweat. 

He'd been having the same dream for the past three years. Ever since his mother faded completely from his memories.

Shea's hand went to the amulet at his chest. It was warm; comforting.

The fifteen-year-old swung his legs over the side of his bed, feeling lethargic now that the previous shock was gone. He looked out the window.

It was about o-dark-thirty. Dang dream woke him up in the middle of the night. _Again_.

Despite the resentful fact, Shea groped for his shirt in the dark of the loft. His long fingers brushed over the cloth. He quickly pulled the black shirt over his head. With practiced speed and stealth, Shea climbed down the ladder from the loft. He was very surprised that he got down without making a rung squeak, like most nights. Now, as he stood on the floor, he wondered if he'd be able to perform the same feat. Suddenly, the door seemed very far away...

Carefully, he placed a foot down on the floor. Nothing.

He moved his other foot in front of it. So far so good.

Shea refrained from grinning. Now, the next-

_CRREEEAAKKK._

Shea leaped into the air, startled out of his wits. That was _horrible._ Worst one ever! Crap... the light just turned on in his father's room...

It seemed like he held the same position for an eternity when the light beneath the door finally vanished. Shea exhaled and quickly slipped out the door.

Shea pulled on his boots and stopped to breathe in the damp, night air. And then he jogged to the barn. Vaguely, he wondered if Claire would be in there. Again. He grinned as he remembered the first time that she had snuck in and attempted to steal a chicken. Ever since, she would turn up on random nights, just because she felt like it.

He opened the barn door. Nope. No Claire. But a couple of the horses poked their head out from the stalls and whickered. Patting a few, Shea picked up a bridle and shouldered a saddle, making his way to the back of the barn. He whistled and clicked his tongue as he neared a stall that bore a nameplate that had the name 'Arsion.'

A chestnut head poked it's head over a stall, hay still hanging from the horse's mouth. The dark red forlock hung over a lazy eye, covering a small strip that made it's way down the horse's head in small scattered dots. The horse snorted, sending spit and snot flying everywhere. Shea closed his eyes and clamped his mouth shut. "Thank you."

Arsion nodded and whickered.

Shea opened the stall door and closed it behind him. He set the saddle and bridle down on the floor and grabbed a brush. Beginning to brush the horse, he noticed a new sore on the animal's rump. He tenderly went over it. It was a bite mark, from another horse. Shea shook his head and exited the stall. As of late, he had been noticing bite marks and scrapes on Arsion's hide. Once, he had caught one of the horses red-handed. It had been a mare that time, but other times Shea suspected geldings and stallions.

Shea opened up the medicine cabinet and ran his finger along the labels of each phial. Ticks... horse flies... scrapes and cuts. He grabbed the bottle and briskly walked back to Arsion. The horse pushed against Shea's chest once the teenager reached the stall once more. Shea pushed the equine's head away and began to rub the ointment on the sores. He felt the muscles flinch from the ointment. Shea scratched the 'sweet-spot' on Arsion's flank.

A good half hour later, Shea quietly led the big chestnut horse out of the barn. It wasn't dawn yet. Good. Mounting, Shea took one last look at the dark house before tapping the horse's sides. Arsion moved off in a swift trot.

* * *

_Why did she leave? I can't remember anything of her... I just know she was there, once upon a time. I couldn't have appeared out of thin air..._ Shea pondered to himself as he rode through the forest. He really hated not knowing things. It was an annoying pet-peeve. 

The sun peaked through the trees. It was probably a good hour after dawn, and his father would be livid when he got home... but Shea didn't care. All in the day of his life. Sneak out after the same dream, go for a ride, come back, endure a lecture, and be set to chores. If he was lucky, there would be time to talk to Claire.

Claire. He actually hadn't see Claire that much lately. Which was a surprise. Ever since he had started hanging out with the new girl, Lacy, Claire had been avoiding him. Although, she wouldn't tell why. Shea shrugged it off.

Arsion snorted and started to prance when a squirrel overhead leaped from a branch. Shea firmly yanked on the reins, mind still wandering. He was so oblivious to his surroundings that he didn't notice Arsion walking aimlessly back to the farm.

...until, "_SHEA!"_

Shea jerked his head up, and he deflated. His father was standing on the deck, arms crossed... and looking extremely angry.

Shea waited until Arsion had stopped in front of Link to dismount. He stared up into his father's eyes. There wasn't much height difference in the two, except that Link was a few inches taller still. Shea felt himself shrink as he stood before his father... what happened to make him so angry?

"Eh, hi, Dad." Shea offered, weakly. "So, I bet you're wondering what I was doing so blatently disobeying your orders and going off in the middle of the night to ride, huh?"

Link's face didn't crack. "You went into the woods, didn't you?'

Oh. So _that_ was it.

Shea was about to answer when he was interrupted. "I've told you never to go in there. It's dangerous out there!"

Shea had heard that short lecture time and time again. But it didn't stop him from going into the woods. "What's in there that you are worried about? What's so scary about those little trees, anyways?" He knew it wasn't the smartest thing to back talk, but he really didn't feel like being Mr. Pushover-do-everything-he's-told.

Link's face held mixed emotions: anger, stress, sadness, and pain. "Shea... I can't say for certain. But you can't be going in there. Promise me... at least not alone," when he received a questioning look from Shea, he added, "I know that you and Claire hang out in the those woods alot. I'm not as oblivious as I may seem."

Shea rolled his eyes. "Does this mean that I'm out of a punishment?"

"Not for a moment."

Great.


	11. Lies

**Chapter 10**

"Did he seriously ban you from riding?" Claire asked, incredulously.

Shea twirled and twig between his fingers. "Mmhm."

"For a month?"

"Mmhm."

Claire sat back on her hands, and blew a strand of red hair out of her eyes. "I always told you that your dad was a fun-leech. I told you, but did you listen, _noo._"

Shea sighed. "Alright, alright," he paused, "actually, we've both known that to be true for a long time, Claire."

Claire gave a 'humph,' before looking around. Her shoulder-length red hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail, today. Shea couldn't help but notice how pretty she was, despite the occasional dirt smudge on her cheek. But, Claire was a friend, and Shea couldn't imagine anything else.

"You seen Blaize, lately?"

The question seemed to appear out of nowhere... as did the name and memories. Shea raised his eyebrow. "Why do you ask?" He restrained himself from growling. He still hated Blaize. Not for the wanted thing... but for the fact that the kid was such an arrogant person who seemed to enjoy making Shea's life miserable!

Claire shrugged. "I don't know. Just haven't seen him since we were both eleven. And I still don't understand what made him so angry. Sure, he's a wanted fugitive. It would almost seem that he's kinda bipolar." Claire sighed, "But he's so dang _cool!_"

Shea scoffed. "Sure."

Claire was silent as she stared at the ground. "You know... maybe I can convince your dad to lighten up, let you ride again."

Shea laughed. "But he absolutely _loathes_ you! And, I can't think of one thing that would make him give."

* * *

"I did it." 

Claire walked out, hands on her hips and a smug look overriding her face.

Shea jumped up. "What!? What did you say to him?"

Claire cocked her head and chewed on her cheek. "Not much. I just gave him my 'big eyes' and smiled cutely." She gave an example.

But Shea didn't buy it. There was no way _that_ could have worked. "Claire, what did you say? Exactly."

Now, Claire had taken a sudden interest in the ground. "Oh... nothing. Except," she paused and continued, going at an abnormal talking speed, "that I told him you were willing to do extra chores. And read a book from cover to cover." That would do it.

"_WHAT?!"_ Shea bellowed. "Claire!"

"You should thank me. I just gave you your horse back." Claire poked Shea in the chest. "So don't you be Claire-ing me!"

Shea just stared at her.

Claire stared back, smirking.

Finally, Shea deflated. "I have no idea why I'm friends with you. I have no idea _how_ I became friends with you."

Claire strode past, patting him on the shoulder. "Quit trying to figure it out. Embrace it. Now, I gotta go. Work. You know how it is." And then she ran off, laughing.

Shea just watched her go, thinking, _I hope she trips in a well and can't get out._ But, that'll probably happen to him, with his awsome grace and luck. He turned around, and walked into his house... preparing to meet his doom.

* * *

"I. Hate. Reading!" Shea snapped a book shut and flung it on the floor... next to the other twenty that he had tried tot get into. He was sprawled over the couch in the front room. Shea groaned and let his head fall over the side of the sofa. He opened his eyes and saw his dad walking in. 

"Hey, Shea. How's the reading?" There was a hint of a smirk on Link's face. Of course, being upside-down, everything looked distorted. But there was a definate laugh in Link's voice.

Shea snarled. "Just _wonderful._" He righted himself, and closed his eyes as the room spun. When the world was right again, he picked up a random book and sifted through the pages. ...stupid.

And then he stopped. He stared at a word: Hyrule.

_...let's start this book over._ Shea thought cautiously, flipping to the first page.

Before life began, before the world had form, three golden goddesses descended upon the chaotic land of Hyrule. They were Din, the goddess of power, Nayru, the goddess of wisdom and Farore, the goddess of courage.

Din, with her strong flaming arms, cultivated the land to create the earth. Nayru poured her wisdom onto the earth to give the spirit of law to the world. Farore's rich soul created all life forms who would uphold the law.

* * *

Later that night, Link walked into the front room, where Shea hadn't moved since he had started reading. He was still on the couch... but he had fallen asleep. Link righted Shea's head, laying it on the couch and picking up the book from the boy's chest. He looked at the title: _The Sacred Land. _Link ran a hand through his hair. Why Shea had chosen this book, he didn't know. But he did know that his son would have a lot of questions... And he probably wouldn't be able to answer any of them... He had to lie. 

_I've been lying to him his whole life... ever since he could speak, he'd had questions about the Triforce and the Goddesses. He'd had questions about the lands outside of Termina, and what the forest seperated. By Din, he's even tried going through the forest! And all I've done is shrug it off, or make up some excuse... I've lied to him who I really am._


	12. Apocolypse

**_Thank you everyone for being patient with me during my writer's block crisis! I would like to thank Maclbee for letting me use Blaize. Haha, yes, I've made him extremely bipolar... muwhah. So, ya'll enjoy the next chapters of Forever After!_**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

Shea woke up the next morning, and found himself still on the couch. He sat up and looked around. He was horrified to find that he had slept in way past dawn, and his father would be livid.

Shea jumped up and ran outside... to find Arsion and Epona saddled and waiting out in the back. Confused, Shea looked around for his father. He saw no one. As to save himself some scorn when he _did_ find Link, Shea got to work on his chores. Slightly altered, considering that Arsion was already groomed (and saddled, but the reason escaped his mind).

Halfway to the barn, maneur fork in hand, Shea was stopped.

"Shea, leave it. We're taking a break today."

Taking a break? Since when did his dad _ever_ take breaks? From anything!? ...Something was wrong.

Link mounted Epona and looked at his son with raised eyebrows. "Aren't you coming? You're not grounded, remember?" He smirked.

Shea scowled and scrambled up in the saddle of Arsion. The chestnut horse snorted and pawed at the ground; his dam next to him did the same thing before wheeling and bolting off. And Link did nothing to stop her. Shea watched the retreating rump of Epona before smacking Arsion's. The horse jumped forward with a heaving lurch and started to gain on the old mare. Shea saw Link look over his shoulder very briefly, and an even briefer smirk before Epona disappeared again in a cloud of dust.

Arsion threw his head up, and whinnied. He wanted free rein... after all, his old mother had it. The chestnut started to swing his front legs out. Shea kneaded his fingers up in the horse's mane, and tapped the heaving sides. Arsion shot forward, and soon Epona and Link were in view again... Arsion's nose was to Epona's flank... and then the stirrup... head to head.

Shea looked out of the corner of his eye at Link, a slight grin pulling on his mouth. "Hey, Dad. First one to the hill wins. Loser cleans the barns and excersises for a week!" He called over the pounding hooves. His answer was a wink and dust in his eyes as Epona darted ahead once more. Shea didn't even wait for Arsion to beg. The horse eagerly stepped up a gear and he swiftly caught up to and passed Link and Epona.

A log had seemed to fallen in the middle of the trail during some night, but Arsion didn't balk at it, and neither did his rider. Shea calculated the number of strides before the log... one... two... three... four... and set. Shea took a deep breath as the horse went airborne. He absolutely loved the feeling of jumping... it was as if he could jump out of the saddle and fly on his own. He closed his eyes for a second, and exhaled before the horse landed and time sped up once more.

Vaguely, he heard Epona's hooves pound to the dirt floor and pick up momentum again. But Shea didn't care. He was winn-

...and then he saw a red blur race past. Shea had always known that Epona was the fastest horse on the ranch... but this was ridiculous! She was old! Shea tapped Arsion on the sides again, but the horse was heaving. Shea sat down in the saddle, scowling. He really didn't like the fact that Epona -old and weathered- had more stamina and speed than any horse on this planet. And now, he would have to excersise all the horses. And clean the barns. For a week. Alone. _Damn._

Arsion slowed to a canter, and he finally reached the top of the hill, where Link had dismounted and was rubbing Epona with a rag. Upon his son's arrival, Link grinned widely. "I suppose I win."

"Yeah. Sure." Shea mumbled.

"So you should get to sleep early tonight... and tomorrow, and the next day after that-"

"_Alright_. I get it." Shea interrupted as his father snickered.

* * *

"Tell me more about Mom."

Link looked at his son with very wide eyes. "You don't remember her? Anything?"

Shea shook his head. "Nothing. All I know is that she was there. I think back, and I see a figure; I smell lavenders and roses; I hear a voice... and that's it." He turned his head back to look at the sunset. The two were still on the hill, after their race. They had sat on the hill for hours, letting the horses graze to their pleasure. Most of the hours had just been silence.

Link tried not to look at his son in disbelief. Which, he managed to do. He exhaled and leaned back on his hands, "Your mother... You have to know that I loved her very much. And she loved you. She was heartbroken when she had to leave-"

"Why did she have to leave?"

"She had her reasons. It wasn't because of you, or me. Like I said, she was heartbroken when she left, " Link added at Shea's look. "You got your eyes from her, you know. And most of her personality, but where you got to be such a pushover, I will never know." Shea scowled.

"I'm not a pushover," he mumbled before perking up, "Where did you and Mom live before here? I know that you lived somewhere else."

Link flinched. He hated lying... especially to his own son. But, it was to protect Shea at all costs, right? "We've lived here our entire lives."

"Then why did I see a map of some foriegn place in your back room?" Shea had spoken without thinking. He immediatly retreated, "I mean... it must have been a dream, because I have _never_ looked in that back room! Uh uh. Nope. Not on-"

"-Shea, you might not realize it, but I know that you did. It was the night that your mother left, and you had snuck down out of bed and looked. I could hear you breathing." Link interfered, calmly.

Shea blinked. Um... okay. "Then, care to explain everything I saw there?"

Link looked like he was backed into a corner with no way out... until he looked back down in the direction of the ranch. "...Smoke."

Shea raised an eyebrow. "What does that have to do with-"

"-Shea, smell the air." Link growled. Shea did so, and he recognized the stench of wood-smoke. And he too, looked in the direction of home...

In the blink of an eye, Link was on Epona and racing back down the hill. Shea followed with Arsion, speeding through the steadily thickening air. He saw it; the column of rising black smoke. His heart started to thump at an irregular pace... no, no, no! Not home!

The two horses burst from the woods to find an orange and red Apocolypse. The house was already consumed in flames, with no hope of saving. But it wasn't the house that drew Link's attention. Screaming fury and anguish came from the barns and paddocks. The horses ran around in zig-zags, racing the fence with some hope of escape from the inferno about to consume them.

Link sprang out of the saddle and raced towards the gates and doors. With inhuman speed, he unlocked every single door and gate, and let them open. A wild stampede of horses exploded past, barely missing Shea and Arsion. Shea felt the horse beneath him tremble and tense, wanting to run with the herd, away from the danger.

Shea's next thought was that Link would jump back on the horse and race towards the village for help... but instead, he leaped inside of the burning house, right as the bar holding the door frame up collapsed.

There was no hope that his father would come out alive. What was the man thinking!? What could be in there possibly worth sav-

...Shea knew. He knew exactly what was worth saving. He jumped out of the saddle, and started to race towards the house... when at least six pairs of hands grabbed his arms and held him down.

"Get your hands _OFF _me!" Shea threatened, "Or I'll kill you!"

There was a deep laugh as his threat was shrugged aside by his assailants. "Sure you could, Rhairu."

Rhairu? Who the hell was that? Shea twisted his head up... and he felt the breath leave his chest. The men holding him had black hair, and red eyes. Some darker than the other, but red the same. A few of them had markings on their faces... now, Shea didn't have to think twice about who had resemblances to these men.

Shea started to believe that he was going to die... until a sword end stuck through one of the men clad in black...

"Let go of him." A growl came from behind the gutted man. The sword disappeared and the man fell to the side... or he was flung to the side.

And Link stood there, holding the bloodied sword. He seemed to glow with some power that had been restrained for years. Shea could see it in his eyes... the spark that was so different from the one that he knew.

A few of the Exelians let go of Shea, and drew their own swords, snickering. One attacked, and Link dodged and cut across the man's back. More and more attacked, but missed and fell either dead or wounded. Link seemed to be dancing... he moved so smooth, and swung the sword with such grace and power that it was hard for Shea to believe that Link had never picked up a sword. And... there seemed to be an expression of pure _joy _upon his face. Like this was something he hadn't done for years, and had missed it horribly. Who was his father? This man was so different from the one Shea had known...

Finally, only two Exelians remained. They let go of Shea, and attacked Link... they each circld him, one in the back, and one at the front. Link looked back and forth between them. It seemed as though the Exelians were waiting for Link to attack first.

"Shea! Get on Arsion and run! I'll find you later!" Link ordered before he viciously leaped upon the Exelian in the back, feinting a jump at the front one. The air was rent with clashes of metal on metal as Link parried back and forth.

Shea did as he was told, scrambling to his feet and jumping his nervous horse. Shea pulled on the reins, and Arsion reared, twisting his body to leap back towards the hill... but as he ran, there was a bone chilling scream that would echo in Shea's mind forever... and it was coming back towards the ranch. The yell, full of pain and anguish, seemed to cut through the smoke filled air like lightning, shocking Shea so that he couldn't move. His sudden tension stopped Arsion. The horse paced back and forth, rolling his eyes.

Shea stared back the way he had come with wide eyes, brimming with hot, prickling tears. The scream he had just heard was his father's.


	13. Capture

**_HaliOvi: You'll just have to keep reading to find out! Muwahaha..._**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

Shea desperately wanted to go back, to find out if his thoughts were true... no... his father _couldn't_ be killed! Not after what he had proved only five minutes ago! He had been _taunting_ the Exelians... merely toying with them! Two men couldn't possibly have killed him...

The air got thicker with the smoke... and then Shea found himself surrounded by Exelians on horseback. Arsion reared, snorting and screaming, threatening the other horses to come and fight. Shea tried to restrain his horse, but as the forlegs came crashing to the ground, another set of legs came crashing through the clearing. It was none other than Epona, eyes wild and mouth baring iron teeth. The old mare screamed and started to attack the Exelian horses with a wild panic. There was no calming the crazy horse. It seemed as though she had lost all common sense and was going all out... it seemed as though she was attacking for her master.

Shea took this opportunity to make a run for it. He slammed his legs down on Arsion's sides, and the chestnut stallion surged forward, breaking through the blockade of Exelians. But they all seemed to break from Epona's mad rage... Shea didn't have to look back to know what had befallen the old horse.

The hooves from the huge horses seemed to shake the earth more than an earthquake could. But there seemed to be no hope for the muscular horses to catch up to the lithe Arsion, who was built for speed... but if Arsion stumbled, the large hooves could crush him. And his rider.

The smokey air suffocated Shea; it made his eyes smart. He vaguely noticed how the forest erupted into flame, but all he cared about was getting away... he didn't notice how Arsion jumped through a wall of fire that was supposed to stop him... Archers were lining along the road, shooting at the horse flying down the road...

A shooting pain went through his back... Arsion stumbled as Shea went off balance, flipping over and landing on his side, flinging his rider off to the side. The horse squealed as he went down; an arrow sticking out of his right flank.

His right arm felt numb... he had landed on it when Arsion threw him, and had hit his head on the ground. The pain in his back and head had put him on the verge of unconciousness. He was aware of the burning forest around him... he heard limbs crash to the ground and he heard the roar of the fire. His eyesight was going in and out of focus as a figure appraoched him...

* * *

Shea woke to a throbbing headache, and even more pain in his arm. And it didn't help much that he was being jolted around in a... cart. He was in a cart, surrounded by bars. There was an iron manacle on his ankle. Great. It raised his spirits just a little bit to see Arsion limping along side the cart, tethered to the saddle of one of the Exelians. 

Looking around, Shea's eyes fell upon two familiar faces: The two last Exelians to fight Link. Rage boiled within him... all he wanted to do was throw a punch at both of their smug faces in as they looked at him... they were laughing.

Shea slammed his fist down on the cart floor, and brought his knees up to his chin, huddling in a corner. His violet eyes glared at everything... he cursed everything... he hated everything. Arsion bobbed his head and snorted. Shea raised his eyebrows. "Life does suck." He mumbled to the horse. The big brown eye shifted lazily towards him, and the horse exhaled. Shea reached to his neck and pulled out the amulet that he had worn since he was six. As always, it was warm on his palm. He saw his eye in the reflection on the gold triangle. His mother's eye... Where was she now? Why wasn't she here? This probably would never have happened if she hadn't had to leave in the first place. His father would be alive; he wouldn't be carted away to some place like a slave; and they all would be riding in the woods (that would be green and untouched) together. Link on Epona, Shea on Arsion and his mother on... well, his father had never said that there was a specific horse that his mother rode.

The cart jolted to a stop, as did the whole parade around him. Shea put his hands out to keep from falling on his side. He stuffed the amulet back in his shirt. The warmth was unusually comforting on his chest.

He got to his knees and looked over the heads of all the riders. Ahead was a huge fortress... Shea had no knowledge of where in Termina they were; he even doubted that they _were_ in Termina!

The fortress was made up of entirely wood poles, but the gate had grafted metal hinges and bars. Torches aligned the gate... Shea noticed how dark the sky was. It was probably hours after his capture... hours after Link died... hours after his home had been destroyed.

The gate opened, and the assailant party continued forward, the cart bumping along on the rocky road. It made his arm and head hurt even more. Gritting his teeth, Shea cradled his broken arm, doing his best to stabilize it.

As they entered into the fortress, Shea looked around, still glaring at everything and everyone. But he noticed how the women had veiled faces, and they looked at him with... there was a definate aura of fear and hatred comming from them. But, for what reason? And only a few of them had markings on their faces, men and women alike... what kind of tribe was this?

Drums interrupted his thoughts and brooding as the door to the cart was opened. The manacle clanked off... Shea only had one thought: Magic. So there would have never been any hope of escape. And once again, he was yanked on the arms and shoulders out of the cart. Shea bit back a scream as his arm was twisted in a very uncomfortable position. Pain shot down his arm, making his fingers go numb.

His captors lead him down a hallway of sorts, except the walls were made up of Exelians, watching their captive struggle for freedom. The chanting and drums sounded very right, Shea thought grimly. It sounded like a death chant... and Shea was sure it was for him.

One of his captors twisted his head to face forward, where he was staring at a huge, vacant, throne-like chair. Horns protruded out of the top, and lit torches illuminated the platform it was on. Shea deffinately felt the evil coming from the chair.

The drums stopped, and he was forced to his knees, arms still held in very uncomfortable positions, his head down at the ground.

Shea waited there for what seemed like ages, before a large man walked out of the crowd. His hairline was far back, so it stopped in a widow's peak. The black hair was long, down to his shoulders. His red eyes were almost a blood-crimson. But, he didn't have a marking on his face. Shouldn't he, the King, have something on his face? Blaize did. Some other Exelian's did. Why didn't the King have it?

Shea realized that he was looking the Exelian king directly in the eye, so his captor pushed his head down again.

He felt the crimson eyes on him, studying him like an animal. Again, it seemed like ages before anything happened.

"My people. We are finally one step closer to our divine callings! The Hero is dead, and the Sage is at our command. And now... we have the great god of Balance himself... Rhairu!"

Again, who, in the great name of all that was holy, was this Rhairu? Shea thought about snapping the question in the king's face, but thought better of it. Maybe, he could find out more about his parents... who exactly they were.

The king descended from his throne, walking with a regal air towards Shea. He kneeled, and ran a finger along the boy's neck, hooking under the chain from which the amulet dangled. He pulled it out from Shea's shirt, and snapped the chain.

Shea went balistic. "Give it back! It was my _mother's_!" Shea struggled, ignoring his now numb arm, "Give. It_. Back_!" He recieved a backslap on his head, forcing it down again. But he ignored it, looking up at the king with utter loathing. "I'm not who you think I am! Give me my amulet back, and let me go!" Another whack on the head.

The King looked at Shea with wicked amusement as examined the amulet. It wasn't right... Shea didn't like seeing the reflection of the red on the gold. Not when he knew that his mother's eyes were purple... not when he knew that he might never get the only thing that linked her to him back... He suddenly felt very cold and naked without it.

"Take him to the cell. And make sure that it's enforced... we don't know the full extent of his power yet," the Exelian muttered to Shea's captors. The drums started once more as Shea was dragged away.

"No! Give it back! I'm not this Rhairu character! Let me _go_!" Shea kicked at anyone who tried to restrain him further. He was somewhat satisfied when he heard a crack in one of the Exelian's hands who came forward, but he never stopped fighting. He heard a horse scream in anger. Shea recognized it as Arsion's scream, but there was nothing the horse could do for him...

Shea was flung in a room; the only light coming from outside. The Exelians closed the door, and Shea heard a click. He raced to the door, and began banging on the wood. "Let me go! At least explain some things to me!" He felt tears come to his eyes as he hit the wood. "I'm not Rhairu..." He had never felt to vulnerable in his life... he fell to his knees, and cried.


	14. Escape

**Chapter 13**

What day was it? What time was it? How many hours had it been since his last meal? How many days had passed while in his own, personal Hell? Shea's head swam with questions of 'what...'

He passed the time just sitting in the corner, glaring at the wall in front of him. Dark circles had grown under his eyes from lack of sleep. Shea had found, that he couldn't. No matter how tired he was, he couldn't find the energy to actually lay down and close his eyes. His theory was that he was afraid of dreaming, of hearing his father scream. He was afraid of seeing the fire again, afraid of feeling the pain.

His pain. His arm was nothing compared to the torment going on deep within his chest. It felt as though his heart was being squeezed. He felt as though his emotions and thoughts were being wrapped around each other to form a huge knot... there was no discerning happiness from sadness, restless from relaxed. He was angry. Angry all the time. At any of the Exelians who entered in the room, or looked through the door, it was all Shea could do to not leap upon them and tear their eyes out, to mangle their faces, to kill them. He hated without reason. He hated with a fiery passion.

Finally, it was a day that Shea couldn't stand it anymore. He was pacing, like an caged animal, when the door opened. He froze, tensed and ready to attack. His eyes were unfocused and wild. He clenched his hands over and over again, waiting...

A familiar face walked in, shutting the door behind him. His white bangs was the most visible part in the room. Save for his eyes. They were the brightest red Shea had ever seen. Fire red. "Long time, no see. What brings you here?" Blaize smirked.

Shea straightened but didn't say anything.

Blaize's eyes bore into Shea's, before he sighed, running a hand through his black hair. "Listen, I happen to know that you aren't going to live very much longer-"

"-well, isn't that surprising? Well, I will have you know, that I died a while ago. Along with my father." Shea snapped.

"-But I have a proposal for you," Blaize continued as though he hadn't heard Shea, "I can get you out of here."

...what? This was Blaize, offering to help him. Since when did the cow-haired boy offer help? Shea was sure that there was a catch. He crossed his arms, and raised an eyebrow. "What's in it for you?"

Blaize shrugged. "I don't really know. Listen, do you want the help, or not? They are going to march you right out of here and straight on to Hyrule. Apparently, they -meaning the other Exelians- think that you are some god reincarnate," he coughed before continuing, "The leaders have been doing some research on this particular god, Rhairu. It is said that he, along with his sisters, created Hyrule. But two of the goddesses, Din and Nayru -one representing power, the other representing wisdom- could never get along. It has been told that Rhairu was always the one to calm the Goddess of Power and the Goddess of Wisdom so that they could finish creating the perfect land. Rhairu is Balance, and Restoration. Without him, there would be no peace. He is the middle, missing part of the Hylian's so-called Triforce."

Shea had cocked his head, and yawned. "Yeah, that is very interesting and everything, but what does that have to do with me? I don't have any special, great power, or anything," Shea turned around and sat back down in a corner.

Blaize exhaled, exhasperated. "Well, I'm going to get you out of here whether you like it or not. I'm going to leave this door unlocked, and when you hear my signal, you go. Your horse will be saddled and ready to go." Blaize wheeled on his heel and walked out of the cell.

* * *

After some time, Shea wondered aloud to himself, "What signal? The idiot forgot to tell me what it-" 

And then there was a huge explosion, and a cry: "HOLY _SHIT_!! My bad!"

_That_ was the signal. Shea leaped up from the ground, and pushed himself out the door. The entire fortress was going up in flame, and Shea barely was able to see Blaize, leaping from building to building, a wild look in his red eyes. He glanced over at Shea, flicked a sword in the direction of Arsion before disappearing into the flames.

As Shea ran, he heard disapproving scowls coming from many of the Exelian men running to put the fire out. He jumped behind some crates as they rushed past.

"I thought he had control over it!"

"Apparently not. Not if he caused another explosion. This one is the worst! We have to hurry!"

"What diety gave that boy those powers? What were they thinking?!"

Shea cocked an eyebrow, waiting for the water brigade to run past. So... Blaize could start fires. He had power over fire. So that explains what happened a few years ago with the torches... that explains the fire back when he was six.

Shea ran, and ran. He saw his horse. True to his word, Blaize had already saddled the animal. Arsion stamped his hooves and nodded his head. Without any hesitation, Shea leaped into the saddle, and slammed his feet into the barrel of the horse's torso. Arsion reared, and leaped forward, wild eyes sighted only for the slowly closing gate...

Shea leaned deep over the racing horse's neck, intent on more speed... time slowed to almost nothing, only the roar of the fire was only thing audible, aside from Arsion's heavy breathing... horribly recent memories came flooding back to Shea like an open dam. He heard a scream... felt the pain in his arm...

And suddenly, they were out. Arsion kept putting more distance between his rider and the fire with every stride. But that didn't stop the Exelians from chasing. Soon, at least six large, black horses were following... and gaining.

A wall of fire leaped up behind Shea; he heard the screams of the startled horses. Shea slowed Arsion, right as Blaize ran out of the surrounding trees. "That fire won't hold them for long. You need to get as far from here as possible. I'll catch up later." He turned to run again, but Shea stopped him.

"Blaize! Why are you helping me?"

Blaize shot him a very exasperated look. "Just ride!" He slapped Arsion's rump- hard. The chestnut horse squealed and kicked out at Blaize before running. Shea could swear he heard the older teen mumble something that sounded like, "That is why I do not like horses."


	15. Onward

**Chapter 14**

Shea didn't know how long he had rode, but when the sounds of chase finally faded into the dawn, he found himself in a place that had been the only thing in his life untouched by misfortune: His and Claire's wooded area. The place looked like it should be... a place for peace and laughter. The crates that they had adorned with assorted -and often unmatching- pillows and different sheets hadn't been touched for years. The always unlit torches remained crooked, not always staked into the ground far enough.

Shea dismounted and sat on one of the crates, reminescing. He wondered if Claire noticed his absence. Had she come to the ranch, only to find it burned? If so, did she come here to see if Shea had survived? Did she even care?

Arsion bobbed his head and snorted at a disturbance in the brush. Shea jumped off his crate, and held out his fists, ready to fight anything that came his way.

"Ow! Stupid thorns... OUCH! Are you sure he's here?"

Shea lowered his hands and peered at the rustling bushes. "...Clai-"

"SHEA!"

And he was suddenly on the forest floor, staring wide-eyed at a pair of vivid green eyes, brimming with tears. "Shea! The entire village is talking about it. Your house... I had to see to believe... but, everything's gone! The barns, the house... everything's just a pile of charred wood and ash," Claire's red-hair was falling out of it's normal pigtails as she shook her head, "and then everyone is saying that Link... your dad... he..." she couldn't seem to finish her sentance.

"He wasn't found among the rubble." A deeper voice Shea instantly recognized made Claire's thoughts spoken, although unnessecarily blunt.

Shea rolled to his side, and looked at Blaize. The seventeen year old Exelian was leaning against a tree, hands jammed in his pockets, watching the reunion with an impassive expression. But there was something new that adorned Blaize: two swords, criss-crossed across his back. And he was wearing burned gloves on his hands.

Shea got to his knees, and looked around. "So, now what am I supposed to do? I can't go back to the village, because who knows if the Exelians might come looking for me? I can't put the village in danger for something that I don't even know about-"

"Very valiant." Blaize commented snidely.

"-and I can't keep running forever."

"What?!" Claire screeched.

"I guess I have to go to Hyrule."

* * *

"Just, remind me again. What the heck is 'Hyrule?'" Claire asked for the upteenth time. "Is it like... '_I-_rule,' just turned into '_Hy-_rule?'" She leaned forward on the horse's back after mounting. 

Blaize sighed, half exhasperated, half wishing the sigh was a very nasty swear-word. He was on a horse. Bareback. He could ride, but it didn't mean that he had to _like _the dumb animals. And apparently, his horse didn't exactly like him, either: It wouldn't go.

Shea held back a smirk. Finally, some mileage on the stupid seventeen year old punk!

Earlier in the night, Shea had found some horses that had ran from the ranch the night it burned. They came to him when he called, one because they knew him, and two, they were frightened out of their wits. It took a few minutes of coaxing and urging before they finally were able to let Blaize and Claire near them. Although... one had kicked out at Blaize as he tried to get on the horse's back. When he had, the color had nearly drained from his face.

"Are you nervous?" Shea had asked.

Blaize had shot Shea a looked that had clearly stated _Do I look nervous to you?_ but he had curtly replied, "No."

Now, as Shea mounted Arsion, Blaize was looking very tense. And his horse wasn't moving when he commanded. "You know, Blaize, if you loosen up, the horse will feel more comfortable. They know when their rider is nervous."

Blaize glared at Shea. "Thanks for the tip, Horse-Whisperer." The reply was very sarcastic. But while Shea wasn't looking, he readjusted himself on the horse's back and exhaled. Shea turned to Claire after mounting, answering her previous question. "I'm not so sure myself, but in a book I read-"

"You actually read a book?"

"-that it is a sacred land, a land unmatched by beauty, law, and strength," he trailed off, "and it should have answers," he said to himself.

Blaize whistled, and leaned backwards. The horse skittered forward, making him go back and grasp the reins very tightly. "If you two are done talking, we should get going."

Shea nodded, and moved to the front... and deflated. "Which direction are we facing? What direction is Hyrule, exactly?" What a way to get started. Lost before they even moved a step.

Blaize looked around. "Well, the Exelian fort is -approximately- east of your village."

Shea nodded, "And I never went through the village on my way here. So... that would mean we're South of the village."

"Correct. The god incarnate actually knows something. Impressive."

"I'm not the god incarnate, so shuttup. Let's just get going."

* * *

"The trees aren't looking any different. Do either of you two know where we are?" Claire asked, who was bringing up the rear.

"Of course." Shea and Blaize answered together, before Shea countered, "It was Blaize who told us to go this way, just to clear things up." Blaize snorted but didn't bother to say anything.

The only sound after that was the plodding of the horses' hooves, and the occasional bird song. Shea could recognize a few of the areas, now, because this was where he would ride in the early mornings. But soon, things began to become foriegn to him. They were leaving Termina. Shea couldn't believe it. He was finally doing something he had dreamed of doing his entire life. But his father wasn't with him.

"Hey, Shea! Keep your eyes sharp." Blaize called ahead, pulling out his bow. "We're coming into wild territory, or in other words, Exelian hunting ground." He tapped his horse's sides, and the animal leaped forward in a bouncing trot. Blaize's face paled slightly as he pulled the reins in. Shea and Claire picked up their own animal's paces. Shea didn't exactly feel like being captured by Exelians again.

"Blaize, when's the nearest town?" Claire called up. "Just curious."

"A few hours fast riding."

Shea's mouth cocked. "Then we'll have to do some faster riding, then."

Blaize blinked. "I'm not so sure that I wan-" He was cut off his horse took off after the speeding Arsion. Blaize gathered the reins in his hands, and yanked. But his horse ignored him. "What the _hell_ did you do?!" Blaize went into a colorful stream of words as he leaned back in the saddle, trying to stop his horse from running.

Shea laughed. "Just enjoy it!"

Blaize grumbled and leaned foward, trying not to look at the pounding hooves beneath him. He hated horses... 


	16. Sunsets and Rain

**_Ok... this computer is really pissing me off. AAAHH. Anyways, this computer can't support the editor on FF, so I have to do all the good stuff (such as italics, bolding, and underlining) all manually. And I've never been fast at HTML, so the up and coming chapters will take longer than expected. Oh, and I apologize now for slow updates. School and life are starting to take over, as are periodic, month-long spurts of writer's block.  
I've been getting MANY complaints towards my evilness in killing off our favorite Hylian. Look, I'm sorry! But the only way to Shea to progress towards his truth was to kill Link. Blame the plot, not me! Anyways, keep reading, and if you can, recruit some more readers! Thanks!_**

**Chapter 15**

Shea fell onto his bed, welcoming the softness of the mattress after a day's worth of riding. The inn that they were staying at was the cheapest they could find that didn't reek of mothballs. But, they only had enough money to rent two rooms for the night. So, it ended up -naturally- with Shea and Blaize sharing a room. Shea didn't mind sharing a room... but it was the irritating fact that his roommate was Blaize. The Exelian teenager always had this forbodding aura that dampened the mood wherever they were.

Unlike Shea, Blaize had laid down on his bed calmly, making no sound and closing his eyes, resting his hands on his slowly rising and falling chest. Shea couldn't tell if he was asleep, or if he was just resting. He had this overwhelming urge to throw something hard at the seventeen year old. Like the water basin inbetween them. That was full of water. He would have done it, save the image of a sopping Blaize standing amid the burnt-down inn and standing over Shea's charred corpse made him refrain from his basin-throwing.

Shea stood up and walked over to the window, where there was a shelf built into the wall that he could sit on. He looked out the window, staring at the sun, which was casting a golden shadow over the town. Shea allowed a small smile to quirk up the corners of his mouth. He had always liked sunsets. Ever since he could remember, he'd watched them. To him, a sunset meant 'the end.' The end of a day, to be precise... but he specifically remembered the night his mother left was a sunset. So, now 'the end' had a whole new meaning. And then, there was a sunset before his father died. Another meaning. Now, Shea wondered what a sunset meant at all.

He leaned his head on the glass, eyes staring out. He thought back to how he had always pictured his life. No mom... a dad who barely knew how to handle a growing teenager... for once, this was a subject that he rarely ever discussed with Claire. What would she -of all people- have to say that would make him feel better? She had no parents to lose. Only foster homes, and many at that. But yet, she runs away from all, taking family for granted. Shea might have done that, had his family stayed intact. He often wondered what his life would be now had his mother stayed... he could have had brothers or sisters. He could have avoided this entire mess if his mother had _stayed with him._

Shea let out a sigh and brought his knees up to his chin. watching the sun disappear behind the horizon. When he was younger, he often daydreamed of leaving Termina, to explore the outer areas, his father beside him. Now, he was living that dream... but it was completely wrong.

* * *

Shea woke the next morning, still on the window crevice. The sun -which had seemed to have disappeared only moments ago- was peaking over the trees. He yawned and stretched his arms, standing up. Blaize was not in the room. But there was a note attatched to the door: _Gone out._ it said in what seemed like chicken-scratch letters. Shea had a 'well, no duh' thought and continued reading, _Don't wait for me._

Shea tore the note down and stuffed it in his pocket. He quickly washed his face in the basin, and grabbed his pack before walking out the door. He jumped when two, huge, green eyes met him less than an inch away. "Claire!" Shea exclaimed, startled.

Claire looked scared out of her own wits, as well, but quickly recomposed herself. "Come on. We should head out... where's Blaize?"

"Out. He said don't wait for him."

"Oh." Claire scratched her head, "Well, in that case, let's get something to eat, and head out." Shea nodded his agreement and followed Claire out the door. Walking down the hallway, Claire pulled out a folded up sheet of paper. "I found a map yesterday, after getting settled in my room."

"Found?" Shea asked, innocently.

"Yes, _found_," Claire cleared her throat and opened the map. It had every road, every river, every tributary to that river, and every village detailed onto the paper. And there were huge leters that clearly read, 'Termina.' Above that, there were equally large words that read, 'Hyrule.' In between those two were miles and miles of forest, and roads, villages, and towns. Everywhere... Shea deflated. "This place is huge... how are we ever going to get to Hyrule?" He asked himself.

Claire pointed to a dot on the map. "Easy. We're here, and Hyrule is about... three villages away from here. We just follow this road, stop at each village to restoke -if our money supply allows- and eventually we'll get there." She rolled up the map, looking quite pleased with herself. "I really don't see any flaws to _that!_"

Shea, on the other hand, looked skeptical. "I do. The Exelians are also riding to Hyrule. We're traveling on a major road, thus all roads connect with this one. So, it is quite inevitable that we'll meet _again_ if we follow this road exactly. By taking smaller roads, it might add a day or two onto our travel time. But by then, the Exelians could have already reached Hyrule and have set up an ambush."

Claire had her eyebrows raised. "You really have thought this through, haven't you?" Her voice was low, and almost irritated that her thunder was stolen. "Well, I thought _my_ plan was a good one. We'll just have to meet up with Blaize and take a reigning vote."

* * *

"We'll stick to Claire's plan." Blaize said almost after Shea had finished explaining why they shouldn't stick to Claire's plan. They were an hour out of the village when Blaize rode up, telling them that he had been scouting back, checking for sings of Exelian travel. Shea looked at the older boy incredulously.

"What!? Have you finally lost-"

"The Exelians would expect us to not take the main road, so they'll set up ambushes along the lesser used trails." Blaize finished, smirking at a simmering Shea. "You should trust me more."

Shea grumbled something before saying, "When we die, I'm blaming you."

This only made Blaize's smirk grow wider. "Good plan."

* * *

Shea really never had minded rain. Back home, it had never rained harder than a slight drizzle. But... this was utterly ridiculous. And, what made Shea irate, was that it made Blaize insanely _chipper._ The normally silent boy was humming... or _whistling!_ It made Shea want to reach back and punch his face. But everytime he turned around in his saddle, Blaize smirked. He could obviously see Shea's irritation and continued his humming/whistling.

Arsion flicked his ears in annoyance at the tenseness of his rider, but he kept riding. The slurping noises of hooves being pulled from mud and the rain hitting leaves was the only noise on the road for hours. Claire was slouched in her saddle, clearly unhappy with the weather. Her red hair was out of the pigtails and was slicked against her neck by the rain. "Shea, can't we pull off to the side and camp somewhere?"

Shea stopped Arsion and turned in his seat. "I would, but look around. The ground is flooded. We have to keep moving."

By this time, Blaize had given up his humming and was in a similar mood as the rest of them. He looked around warily. "I think someone's following us." He said, out of nowhere before Claire could argue her point of stopping until the rain cleared.

Shea looked at Blaize. "What do you mean?"

"I mean someone's following us! Whether it's me being paranoid -and I'm not- or there is an actual thing following us!" Blaize snapped.

Shea rubbed his temples. "Ok, ok. No need to yell. We're just going to have to be more aware of our surroundings. At night we'll have to take watch periods."

Blaize sneered, "Alright, el Capitan. We should get going if we're going to get to the next village by nightfall tonight." He kicked his horse's sides, a little harder than necessary. The horse grunted and kicked out as a warning but started forward at a trot. Shea and Claire followed with a roll of their eyes.

* * *

He watched the three start off again after their discussion before sitting back down against a tree. He would have to be more careful... He stood up and walked to the black horse that was ground-tethered in the trees, and removed the tarp from the horse. He rubbed the animal's forhead before mounting, and turning the horse in the opposite direction of the three kids. He had some more information to gather before he could how himself to them. So much more... 


	17. Confessions and Trust

**_AnonymousNavi: You're not the only one, don't worry. I'm glad you like the story so much._**

Half of this entire chapter was written at about... 1:45 am on a Saturday morning as Nyquil starts taking effect. So if some of the sentences dont' make sence... that's why. (and this author's note was also written at 1:46 am.) This chapter is a SPECIAL!! It's never often that I write chapters that are over 2000 words long... so yeah.

* * *

**Chapter 16**

"Oh, Blaize. What deity gave you such... an _amazing_, masculine body?"

Shea glowered at Blaize, who was surrounded by girls in this next village. They were _crooning_ and _swooning_. Shea could only tap his fingers on the table and glare. And it was obvious that Claire was going to have a field day after this.

Blaize could only shrug. In fact, he really looked like he didn't enjoy all this attention, but he started to smirk when Shea started to laser his gaze on him. It was only then that he started to play it up.

One of the girls sat herself down on his lap, and walked her finger's up Blaize's chest. "Well, it certainly doesn't matter to me. How about you and I go find somewhere private to go and... talk?" She whispered seductivly. The girl was very pretty, with long, brown hair and big brown eyes. If Blaize was any other teenage boy, he would have jumped at the chance. But... Blaize gave the girl a smile and gently pushed her off before standing up. "Sorry, but I have to go and... catch some... sleep."

This made many of the girls give out a moan. "But it's only after sundown! Surely you couldn't stay longer?" But Blaize had already hurried out of the inn lobby.

The disappointed girls pouted a bit before dispersing, giving some quick, questioning glances at Shea before disappering completely.

Claire started to twirl her thumbs, "So, do you think Blaize enjoyed that?" She asked mischeviously.

"If he did, he would have taken that girl's bait." Shea said. "You do realize how much leverage we could have on him from this?"

Claire gave a huge grin.

Shea pushed away his chair from the table and walked to the door that led out of the tavern. "I'm going out to the stables."

* * *

Shea sat in Arsion's box, watching the horse eat. Occastionally, the chestnut horse would turn his head and look at Shea for a second before he continued eating.

Shea leaned his head on the wall, and closed his eyes. Claire... she was constantly in his mind. And yet, he didn't mind. Her smile back in the tavern just seemed to make his heart stop for a mere nano-second. There were moments when he wanted to hug her, to hold her. Whenever it got cold, or it rained, he wanted to make her warm. But he couldn't figure out why.

He sighed and threw a peice of straw. "Arsion, I don't know what to do." The horse exhaled at his name; Shea made the same gesture. "If only you could talk... maybe you would have some answers," he whispered wistfully as he twirled a strand of coarse horse-tail with his finger. Arsion didn't mind. That's what made him such an amazing horse... he could tolerate anything. He was Epona's offspring, after all.

Shea sighed. _Epona... that old horse... It's my fault she got herself killed. She was only mad because her master was gone... because my father got himself killed trying to save me... it's my fault they're both dead._ Shea decided right then and there. He felt something in his chest wind up and tighten as he thought, and he felt a tear spill over his cheek.

"Hey, you coming in, or what?" A voice tore Shea away from his mind as he quickly wiped the tear away. Blaize was leaning on the stall door, watching Shea. "Claire told me you'd left a little after I did. She said that you'd be in here." He eyed Arsion warily, "I really don't understand why..."

Shea shrugged. "I've grown up around horses. They're pretty much the only thing I have left, now." Shea patted his horse on the neck as the chestnut stallion layed down and closed his eyes.

"Hm." Blaize grunted low in his throat and opened the stall door. He sat in the opposite corner, far enough from Arsion as possible. "It's hard, losing the only ones who understood you the most. Trust me." He looked down and started to draw designs in the straw and dust floor. He and Shea were silent for a few minutes; Shea waiting for Blaize to say something, and Blaize reflecting. "You remember our first... encounter, with each other? I think you were around six, or something." Shea nodded as Blaize continued, "That night... my house burned down, claiming my parents' lives. I was a single child, like you," he paused, "I was scared, confused; I ran, until I collapsed in on the forest floor. I wanted to get up, to be strong, but what strength does a damn eight year old have, when everything he knew went down in flames? And then _you_ came along. I forced myself to pretend everything was alright. You were still pathetic, don't get me wrong-" he smirked at Shea's expression before continuing-"but I envied you. You had parents who could come and find you, who could ground you, who could still hug you." Something in Blaize's voice caught, but he cleared it. "So, when I saw you again, five years later, I could see it in your eyes that something was missing. Your mom." Blaize stared intently with his red eyes into Shea's violet ones, which turned hard. Blaize started again before Shea could retort, "And then you in that prison cell, three years after that. I had already known you had suffered the same fate I had only nine years ago. I had no idea though that your father had died as well... So, I took pity on you and offered to get you out." Blaize laughed, "You looked lost and so broken in that cell, I wasn't sure if it was the right person." Blaize cocked a grin, "I was looking for a girl."

Shea scowled. "You do realize how old that is?"

Blaize chuckled and stood, holding out a hand for Shea. "But you are still bothered by it."

The corners of Shea's mouth twitched up as he took Blaize's hand and stood. "Tell me... if you don't mind... how did your house burn down?"

Blaize looked at Shea out of the corner of his eye, the one that had the black mark under it. "I'm not sure it would be a good idea to show you in this particular building." He gestured to all the hay and wood in the stable before walking out. "I'll leave the room door open." Blaize exited the stables, warily pushing a horse's nose away from him. Shea thought he heard a mutter of "Damn horses..." but he really couldn't be sure.

* * *

Shea opened the door to his and Blaize's room quietly, closing it behind him. The candles were unlit, and there was heavy breathing coming from Blaize's sleeping figure on his bed. Shea thought back to that evening in the stall. What had made Blaize so eager to tell him exactly what happened? It had taken no coaxing, no bribing. He simply just... talked. Shea felt like he knew the Exelian so much better. He could now -it felt like- call him a friend.

Shea layed down on his bed, facing the wall. He let his eyes shut, and soon he was asleep...

_There was so much pain... but yet, it was soothing. How could pain be soothing? There was no physical, possible way. Pain alwasy hurt. But this pain... it was comforting. Gentle hands, warm voices, bubbly laughter. This was_his_pain. He reached for the figures, to the voices, the laughter, but it always seemed to be just out of his reach, no matter how fast he ran._

And then it was gone. He was alone... the air suddenly became cold, and wind whipped around him, dancing and biting him like a thousand daggers. Lightning split the darkness, and thunder filled the space. He looked around, shivering. He said something, but it was either lost in this vacuum of his mind, or nothing came out of his open mouth. Lightning flashed again. So he started to run. It seemed as though he wasn't getting anywhere, but going somewhere. The neverending darkness stretched on with every stride he took. Thunder rumbled through his veins... it hurt. Lightning flashed again; he continued running, wanting to get away from these elements that hurt him. He heard voices in his head... they were warning him!

'...will betray you! You will become lost... I live in your blood... I _am_ your very _essence_... I am _you!_ _The voice boomed in his head... so much pain! He fell to his knees and clutched his head. What were these voices? What did they mean? He heard dark laughter echo around him in the black abyss... he looked up... and saw red-_

Shea bolted upright in his bed, chest heaving. It took only a second for his convulsing heart to calm, and he held his head in his hands.

"I was just about to wake you." Shea looked up and saw Blaize sitting on his bed. "You were tossing and mumbling... must've been a hell of a dream." Blaize stood and walked out of the room without a second glance. Shea stared after him before he popped his head back in. "Oh, and you might want to hurry. We're leaving in an hour."

The door shut and Shea stared at it. _What? Who decided that?!_ He thought as he looked out the window. It wasn't even dawn.

* * *

Claire yawned. "Blaize, why the heck do we have to get up this early?"

Blaize turned his head over his shoulder and said, "The Exelians are only a few hours away from here. We need to ride hard and fast, while being inconspicuous." He mounted his horse -who he had named Rumpass (stressing the last syllable, of course)- and took off at a swift trot. He tensed up immediatly.

Shea mounted and rode up to Blaize, "What's wrong?"

"I. Don't. Like. Horses." He hissed. "How many times do I have to tell you that?"

Shea frowned. "You change subjects real quickly. First you were talking about Exelians, so I was just wondering." Shea turned Arsion around and took up the back of the three.

They rode hard for hours, making no stops along the way. It wasn't until Blaize pulled up his horse sharply. Rumpass snorted angrily and did a little hop. Blaize ignored it while looking around... Shea and Claire looked at each other. Blaize stayed silent as he nudged his horse forward to a walk. The trees were silent... not a bird or bug made a sound... the only sound was the horse hooves on the dirt road... silence... silence...

"HAAA!!" A voice rang through the air as Blaize toppled to the ground from his horse. A figure was wrestling with him, pinning him to the ground with a metal rod. The figure was small, petite, and wearing pants that were torn at the knees, and a very simple shirt. By now, Shea could tell that the attacker was a girl, since her brown hair was in messy pigtails at the top of her head.

Blaize's face was mixed between surprise and annoyance. He pushed against the rod that was pinned across his chest, saying a very colorful word along with "Get off!" He had trouble getting the girl off... she was apparently much stronger than what it looked like her body type was capable of. Shea dismounted and ran to help Blaize. He took the girl by her shoulders... which wasn't a very good idea. The girl yelped and twisted her body, a hand coming up to punch Shea in the face. Shea stumbled back, holding his nose. The girl's gray eyes were hard... and then suddenly they widened with surprise.

"It's you!" She exclaimed and leaped off of Blaize without a second glance at the Exelian. Said Exelian sat up and dusted himself off nonchalantly. He was muttering something about girls and how ridiculous they were. The girl ran over to Shea and and started apologizing. "I'm so sorry! I didn't recognize who you were," she said quickly before cocking her head, worridly. "I didn't give you a bloody nose, did I?"

Shea shook his head and rubbed his nose. His eyes were watering as his nose throbbed. He was about to respond when Claire -being the loudmouth she was- bounded up. "Who the heck do you think you are? Coming in and attacking for no good-"

"My name is Emri. Emri Cailyn. Again, I didn't recognize you..." she trailed off, scanning Claire with her dark, gray eyes. "Yeah... it is you."

"Why do you keep saying that? Who do you think we are?" Claire asked. Shea shook his head with exhaustion. Claire always would be Claire.

Emri looked around. "I'll tell you in a second. First we need to get off this road. Especially you." She looked at Shea. Immediatly, Shea understood. Exelians. But... how did she know? "Come. I have a camp set up."

Blaize was standing and he waved Emri down. "Wait a second. You mean you _knew_ we were coming?"

Emri nodded, glaring at Blaize slightly before leading the group through the brush and trees. "Tie your horses over there." They did and emerged into a small clearing, where a lean-to was propped against a tree. Emri sat down on the grass and looked at the group expectantly. Shea didn't know what else to do except sit down... so he did. Claire and Blaize followed suit. Not a second went by when Claire burst.

"So, how'd you know we were coming?"

Emri sighed. "I can... kind of... tell the future. And I can also get into other people's minds. A few years back, I had a dream. I saw three figures, each wrapped in a different colored fire. One was red, another green, and the last was gold. Part of me said that it was only a dream, but another said that I was going to meet these people, and that they could help me. I kept having these dreams, a little more detail everytime. One time showed eye color, another showed hair styles," she explained, "My most recent dream showed where you would be coming. But that was about... six months ago. By then, I've been on the run from these people... they had black hair and red eyes..." she looked at Blaize with a hardness, "I thought you were one of them. That's why I attacked you first-"

Blaize crossed his arms and smirked. "Bullshit. I think that you _wanted_ to crash into me."

Emri looked at him with disgust before continuing, "But then you," she gestured to Shea, "made me recognize who you guys were." And then her eyes suddenly widened again. "Holy Goddesses! I don't even know your names!"

Shea waved it off. "I'm Shea. The idiot is Blaize-" Shea felt the glare drilling itself into his skin-"and this is Claire." He inclined his head towards Claire. Shea couldn't be sure, but he thought he saw a quick spark of interest in Emri's eyes. But it disappeared too quickly for him to tell.

Emri nodded. "Shea, Claire, and Blaize the Idiot... It works." She threw Blaize a scary smile before standing up. "Well, we best get moving. The Exelians are moving closer." She kicked down the lean-to and scattered it.

Shea was suddenly pulled up by his collar by Blaize. "Can we talk? Now?" He hissed while dragging Shea.

"Does it look like I have a choice?" Shea grumbled before shoving Blaize off of him. "What is it?"

"I don't want her along. I don't like what she can do."

Shea laughed. "You're just sore that she kicked your ass."

"No," Blaize said defiantly, "It is just that I don't like the fact that she can go into other people's minds. Sure, a psycic would be useful incase we need to know where the Exelians are going but..." he trailed off.

"But what?" Shea asked. When Blaize failed to answer, he went on, "Emri's coming. I'm sure she knows that other people's minds are private. I'm sure she knows her boundaries," he stared Blaize straight in the eyes, "She's coming." He said again, this time more firmly and turned to walk back to where they had tethered the horses.

He ignored Blaize's threat: "You're trusting the wrong people, Shea! It's going to get you killed." 


	18. Truth

**Chapter 17**

_You're trusting the wrong people..._Shea layed on the ground that night, staring at the stars overhead. He was thinking about what Blaize had said earlier that day. He trusted Blaize... he hadn't done anything that would cause Shea to question that. He'd gotten him out of the Exelian prison; he'd covered up their tracks; he'd willingly told Shea what happened to his family... and Shea couldn't just ignore that. And then Emri comes along. Shea had the option of letting her come, or tell her to bug off, he's sorry, but he's got everything under control? Emri had the advantage of being able to know where the Exelians were. But the mind-reading factor was the part that bugged Blaize. Alot. It also worried Shea a little, as well. She could get into their heads. And she could go to the Exelians... Shea rolled over, exasperated. He didn't know what to do anymore...

There was a flash of light somewhere in the woods. Shea blinked, not knowing if it was his eyes playing tricks or if the light was really there. The light didn't come again. He rolled his eyes and closed them.

There was a snap of a twig and Shea snapped his eyes open. A golden stag was standing on the forest line, staring at him with white eyes. Shea sat up quickly, never breaking eyecontact with the golden animal. The stag bobbed his head and turned, disappearing into the forest.

Shea stood, and followed after it. He was sure that it _wanted_ him to follow. The golden light was barely visible, but Shea followed it quickly. He ran through bush, under branches, over fallen logs. The light disappeared. Shea stopped and looked around. Great... he had probably been only dreaming of the light and sleptwalked... ending up in the middle of forest he had no knowledge of. This was just perfect!

Shea sat down, defeated, when there was a rustle and the golden stag appeared again. His antlers shimmered as he walked forward on small, silver hooves. Shea had to admit the creature was beautiful. The stag stopped before him and lowered his antlers. A low voice came from the animal..._Shea. I am the messenger of Rhairu, the Hylian God of Peace and Restoration. I have been ordered by the God himself to find you, and tell you of your divine destiny._

Shea laughed. "Don't tell me. I'm the God's incarnate, yes? If I had a ruppee for everytime I heard that one-"

_Be silent!_ The stag reared, _You misunderstand. A diety's incarnate only has certain powers. They cannot perform the great deeds that demi-gods can. Incarnates are not suitable containers for the diety's soul. Their demi-gods, on the other hand, are their mortal selves. If one has control over a demi-god, they have control over the god themselves._

Shea stared at the stag, unable to comprehend everything that he was being told. It was almost- no. It was impossible.

The stag turned his head so that one clear eye was fixed on Shea. _You have been through much, Shea. But know that Rhairu has been watching over you. He has decided that now is the time to tell you of your heritage,_ The stag lowered himself to the ground before speaking again. _A long, long time ago, before any living being was on this world, Hyrule and all other countries were in total chaos. Power was unbalanced, and the Elements were raging. Three Goddesss descended upon the world, and used their powers to balance everything. Din, with her strong arms, cultivated the land, Farore, with her brave heart, created law. And Nayru, with her wise mind gave life to those who would uphold that law... but Din and Farore bickered often, with Nayru always trying to solve their fights. One said that Power was the real force between life. The other said Courage is what gave Power it's force. Nayru eventually got fed up with everything. She went to their brother, Rhairu, and pleaded with him to solve the fights. Rhairu agreed, and created Balance. He created this spiritual scale, with Power and Peace on each side. Whenever one got out of hand, he would send the opposite to balance it. This worked for hundreds of thousands of years. No rise of power seemed to unbalance this scale. When the Goddesses went back to their home in the heavens, they left the Triforce, as a reminder of their work. They purposely left out the middle triangle... Balance. Rhairu did not wish to become known. He did not wish for his Balance to be sought after, to be threatened. His sisters agreed. Before Rhairu ascended, he spoke a promise: "When this world becomes out of balance beyond easy repair, I will send a Messenger to reign over this land in my stead. My Messenger will be born of Wisdom and Courage who his known by the blood of Power. My Messenger will bring together the new Generation of Holders, and together they will put the world into Balance."_ The stag looked at Shea intently. _That promise, is you, Shea._

Shea blinked before putting his hands up. "Uh uh. No. You've got the wrong guy. There's no way I am this god's... mortal container, messenger, or whatever it is. I haven't done anything _godly_ in my entire life!"

_That's because you have not yet been awakened to your powers-_

Shea stood angrily. "How do I know you aren't some trick the Exelians are playing on me, to get me to come to them? For all I know, you could be an illusion, a hallucination."

The stag stood as well, very irate. _If you do not yet believe me, I command you to follow!_ The stag turned and leaped away. Shea ran after him, running at top speed so long as the forest terrain would let him. He kept the stag in sight, whether it be the light, or the phyical structure. Soon, he saw a pond lit by the golden light of the stag. The creature was standing over the water... not on a ledge, but on the water! Shea shook his head, refusing to believe his eyes. The stag stamped a hoof, and the water splashed. _Look at me, Shea. Rhairu warned me of your defiant mind, and he told me to use this as a last resort. I give you your legacy!_ A beam of light shot up out of the water, shooting up to the dark sky. It seemed as though it broke through the sky and went on to the heavens. Shea sheilded his eyes from the blinding light as something came down in the beam... it planted itself in the dirt at his feet... it was a sword. The golden hilt was engraved with runes and a yellow topaz. The hilt sent winding, golden vines a quarter way up the blade. The blade itself was a yellow metal, carved with runes up and down the golden steel. Shea reached out, and grasped the hilt. He immediately felt like he was being filld with lightning energy. Invisible wind whipped around him... he fell to his knees as he took his hand off the sword. The stag nodded his head. _The sword accepts you as Rhairu already has. Do you not feel a connection to this weapon?_ The stag seemed to grin, knowingly as Shea stared at the sword, and took it in his hand once more, pulling it from the soil. It felt so _right_ as his fingers wrapped around the hilt. He did not know how to weild this... how would he use it? _You will find that you know how to use this. It is a natural, born skil of yours... thanks to your father's destiny._

Shea looked at the stag. "My father's destiny? Can you tell me?!" He pleaded as the stag's light started to fade.

_Do you accept your own destiny?_ He asked Shea, ignoring the latter's question.

"Yeah, but-"

_Then that is enough... continue on your way to Hyrule, Shea, Messenger of Rhairu._ The stag faded completely, and all light in the forest faded away. Shea sat on the ground, still holding the sword. This entire night... it was unbelievable...

* * *

Shea slept in that clearing, that night. He felt as though if he stayed, the stag would come back and tell him more, that he would answer his questions. But no one came until morning.

"I _told_ you he went in this direction!" Emri's voice rang through the still air of dawn. It was followed by Blaize's argumentive tone.

"Just because you can see the future doesn't mean that you can use it to your favor!"

"Oh, shush it, fire boy. I've been using my 'supernatural powers' to my advantage for years." Emri countered as she and Blaize entered the clearing, followed by Claire. "Shea? Are you alright? Why'd you... where'd you get that sword?" She asked.

Shea wasn't paying attention to Emri. He was staring at Blaize, who's hands were radiating a red heat... fire. He looked impassivly at Blaize. "That would have explained some things."

"Hm." Blaize grunted as the fire around his hands disappeared. He pointed to the sword. "Care to explain that?"

Shea looked at the sword. "You all might want to sit down... it's a long story." The others sat, and looked at him expectantly. Shea drew in a breath, and reaccounted his night. He spoke of the stag, telling the legend of the goddesses and Rhairu, him not believing the stag, and then the sword falling from the sky, and the connection Shea has to this sword. He ended with the news of his true destiny... Blaize looked... satisfied? Convinced? Emri was very surprised, and Claire looked impassive... which was new for her. Shea looked between them, "Look, I know this is strange. I'm not even sure if I believe everything yet. We're just going to continue on to Hyrule, and hopefully things will become more clear. To all of us."

* * *

He slowly backed away from the clearing line... So he was correct. Shea was a demi-god. He slipped through the forest to the edge of it, where a black horse was waiting. He mounted and circled the horse before smacking the horse's rump, sending it off in a swift gallop... towards Hyrule. 


	19. Negotiations

**_Ezikiel: Thanks so much for that! I worked reeaaallly late into the night on that passage... _**

**_HaltiOvi: Just keep reading. :P_**

**_And for all of you who are visual/musical thinkers, I'm starting to find some songs that fit Shea's story. They're all spoilers, in a way, so I can't give any right now... anyways... enjoy this next chapter!_**

* * *

**Chapter 18**

Shea was deffinatly not accustomed to the sword clanging against his leg. It was especially uncomfortable when he rode... He felt so off balance with the weapon hanging from his hip. Often times, he caught Blaize laughing silently. He answered with the occasional glare, but then resorted to ignoring the Exelian altogether.

But ignoring was easier said than done. It was hard to keep his head straight when Emri and Blaize wouldn't stop _arguing._ For example...

"Get your porcupine hair out of my face!" Emri snapped. She was riding behind Blaize...

"It's not pocurpine hair. It has no resemblance."

"Yes it does. It's spiky. In the back. And in the front. Hey! I'll call you Spike from now on."

Blaize stayed silent before muttering, "Your hair looks like a rat's."

"It looks like a _what?_"

Shea sighed. Maybe Emri should ride with Claire...

The four rode through the day, stopping at night along the road to rest up. During these nights, Shea would spar with either Emri or Blaize... and always getting so competitive between the latter.

It was on one of these particular nights when Shea was able to find something out about their newest traveling companion; something that made him feel so much safer about her. During one of his sparring matches with Blaize, Emri walked by and muttered, "He's gonna feint to the left," in Shea's ear.

Blaize stopped in his midswing and pointed accusingly at Emri. "_What_ did I say about looking into my mind?"

Emri turned back around and gave Blaize a dead-panned look. "You misunderstood me, Fireboy. I'm an _empath._ I don't choose which mind I can _see_ into. I don't even hear thoughts at all. All the mind's emotions are -quite literally- swimming around me," she pointed to Claire, "Claire is feeling frusteration about not being able to start a fire. But I'm staring and talking directly at you. Mind-readers have to completely be focusing on their target. Empaths?" she shook her head, "I can be thinking about and concentrating about completely different things, but still feel the emotions of your annoying mind-chatter."

Blaize lowered the two swords to the ground and chewed his cheek. "That would have been nice to know beforehand!" He snapped before stalking off to a dark tree.

Emri chuckled as she continued on her search for fire-wood.

Shea walked over to Claire, and put his sword back into the sheath before taking the flint from her hands and started his attempt to get the fire going. It was a shame... because the wood would have lighted almost immediatly. But it had rained two days prior in this area, apparently. He sat in front of the wood structure, aiming perfectly good sparks at it. Whenever Emri would walk by, she would start laughing... because his thoughts consisted of, _Goddesses damn it all..._ and _This. Is. Ridiculous._ Apparently, the emotions of them were all under the category of 'frusteration.'

It was getting colder... and they still had no fire. No fire to cook with. Shea's stomach rumbled with the thought when he stood suddenly and threw the flint to the ground. "I just don't see _why_ Mr. I-Burn-With-a-Thousand-Suns-and-Am-Just-Amazing-At-Every-Damn-Goddess-Forsaken-Thing-I-Do"-this was said with _extreme_ sarcasm-" just points his finger and BAM! There we go! _Fire!_" he threw his hands in the air with his frusteration as he kicked dirt into the fire-site. He turned around to face Blaize, violet eyes burning.

Blaize shrugged. "You never asked," he said innocently as he stood and brushed past the simmering Shea. Blaize shook his hands out and flexed them. Immediatly, the red-hot radiation of the heat surrounded his hands up to his elbows. Kneeling, he put his hand on the wood. After a second, it burst into flames. Claire hurried forward with the pheasants that she had expertly caught, de-feathered, and de-blooded during the day, and pushed the raw bird into four seperate sticks. She handed them each a stick before taking a spot by the fire, concentrating on roasting the bird perfectly. The other's followed suit.

No one said anything for the next five minutes or so, before Emri spoke up, "How many more days until we reach Hyrule?"

Claire held her stick inbetween her knees as she pulled out her map. "Well, we're in the middle of Chiyang village and Ordon. Ordon should be the last village we stop at, but it's about a day away from where we are now. When we get past Ordon, it's only another half day's ride to Hyrule's border," she rolled the map up, "Ordon has the most Hylian influence of the villages we've been to so far. So we should get to see what it's like in the actual country. If only a little bit."

Emri nodded, "But you have to remember that Hyrule itself is a large country. I've heard that they have about... six or so different provinces. Ordon -the place where we stop at- is the first province, though they like to call themselves another country. In order to get through to the castle town, we'll have to either go through Lanayru, the largest and the one that contains the lake, or through Faron and on to Lanayru. Route B is longer, but we'll have to find out what the Exelians are planning to do."

Shea raised his eyebrow. "I'm surprised that you know all of this, considering you've never been to Hyrule."

Emri grinned smugly. "I read. A lot."

Claire pulled her pheasant out of the fire, and tore a piece of the meat off, examing the inside. "They should be done. They _look _done."

Shea noticed that Blaize hadn't given any input to the conversation. He looked over at the darker boy, to find that he wasn't there. It was as if he disappeared! Surely he or the other two would have noticed if he had gotten up and left?

"He's probably just off to brood and sulk and mope and do other things that pyro-maniacs like him do," Emri said, offhandedly through a mouthful of bird, "although, his thoughts seemed a little aggravated..." she shrugged it off and continued eating.

Shea gave his consent, but he was still anxious to know where Blaize had gone and why...

* * *

Blaize returned sometime in the night. Shea awoke to find him already spreading the ashes and the campfire around, clearing evidence of their staying the night. There was no eye contact between the two. 

Emri -still asleep- muttered something that sounded like, "Don't touch that tree... it's got feelin's too..." and rolled over. This got Blaize's attention as he walked over with a small smirk and crouched by her sleeping form.

"Hey, Emri."

"Yes?" was the muffled reply.

This caused Blaize's smirk to grow. "You a tree-hugger?"

The sleeping Emri's eyebrows came together. "Huh?"

"I'm asking about your obsessive love towards nature."

And then Emri smiled, "Trees and nature and plants are pretty... flowers are pretty... all smell good... mmm... all look good... and you... mmm..."

When one gets another to start sleep-talking, you can usually never get them out of it until they actually wake up. So when Emri started this rambling about 'trees and nature,' it took about the time when Blaize walked off, face growing redder and redder, to the time that he was able to come back... which took about ten minutes.

By then, Shea had finished clearing the camp-area. It was time to wake the girls up. "Blaize, wake up Emri," he asked, offhandedly.

Blaize looked at Emri, and then at Shea, and then back to Emri. He stood over the sleeping girl, staring at her with an impassive face. He brought his foot back... and swung it forward, kicking Emri on the shoulder... hard.

Blaize soon found his back to the ground, staring up into fiery gray eyes. Emri had her fist poised above his face. "Do it again, and you'll find yourself emasculated with a spoon." She stood up and fixed her hair back up into her pigtails, before saying, "And stop swearing in your head," she added at Blaize's look, "... it's very loud."

Shea shook his head and walked over to Claire. The red-headed girl had one arm over her head, which was tilted towards Shea. Her mouth was partly open, and her eyes were closed in a peaceful sleep. Shea brushed away a strand of hair from her eyes, almost in a caress, before shaking off the heat which was creeping up into his face and clearing his throat, "Claire. Wake up." He shook her shoulder gently.

She opened her green eyes, blinking them to clear the sleep from them. "Good morning, Mr. Demi-god," she said with a yawn and a smile

Shea frowned. "I thought we had agreed to refrain from those kinds of names until we know for sure."

Claire grinned and sat up. "Oh, I know. I felt like doing something to bug you."

"Well," Shea was still frowning, "you better clear your area. We're leaving soon." He stood and turned, and met Emri's inquiring gray eyes before those too turned suddenly away, as if they hadn't seen anything.

As Emri was helping Blaize pack the horses up, she stiffened. Blaize looked at the girl with an odd expression and waved his hand in front of her face. She shuddered and looked around. "Shea! We need to get out of-"

"Too late for that, sweetheart." A raspy voice leeched out of the brushes as a hard-looking man stepped out from the trees. An Exelian.

Shea drew his sword, as Emri lengthened her staff. Blaize clenched his fists, and Claire raised her own. They weren't about to be beaten without a fight...

The Exelian man laughed, amused. "I'm not here to fight, although it might have to come to that if you don't choose to listen," he scratched his chest nonchalantly, "I'm here to negotiate."

Shea frowned, and opened his mouth to respond, but Claire laughed, "We know exactly who you want! And you're not getting him."

The man's red eyes bore into Claire's green ones. "You might just want to shut your trap, missy, because you're just as valuable as little Rhairu over there. All of you are."

Shea's eyes looked around, "We'll agree to talk, if you agree to tell all your men surrounding us to lower their weapons and to not show any aggressiveness." He straightened and held his sword out in front of him. "And I have some questions of my own."

The Exelian took on his previous amused look before raising his hand and making a signal. At least twenty Exelian scouts stepped out of the bushes, and lowered their weapons to the ground, looking very irate.

Shea nodded, "Now talk."

"All we want," the Exelian man began, "is for Rhairu to come along quietly. We really do not want to harm any of you-"

Blaize _must_ have been thinking something along the lines of _bullshit_, or something similar, because Emri started to snicker. The man turned his attention to the latter two, and frowned. He apparently didn't like being laughed at, whether Emri was laughing at him or not, "I will resort to cutting out your vocal chords if you do not stay silent." Emri clamped her mouth shut, but her eyes were very mocking.

The man continued, "If you do not accept this, your little country will be burnt to ash by the time you even set foot on it's soil."

Shea blinked, but kept a straight face. "What would happen if I did accept?" He said this with more confidence than he felt. It really surprised him.

"The damage wouldn't be to the extreme as it would if you weren't along," the man started numbering off on his fingers, "there would be a large difference in death rates; and it would be over in less than a day." He sneered, "After all, Rhairu is the most powerful of the Supreme Beings."

Shea looked down, "But people would still get hurt, and Hyrule would still lay in ruin."

"More or less."

_Oh, Goddesses! _Shea thought, _This is double-bladed deal..._ _either way, everything I've been working for will be destroyed! I need help... Goddesses, I need help... give me a sign, or something! A thought... anything..._

He felt himself start to grow cold, as if a sudden fever was overtaking him. There was a cry of astonishment from Claire, and Shea turned around to look at them. There was a brief moment in time when Claire, Emri, and Blaize's left hands had a triangle on the skin, before the scene completely changed. They were no longer surrounded by Exelians, but they could hear their furious outbursts and oaths at their disappearance.

Shea looked at his comrades, eyes falling to their hands: they were blank. "Did you guys... see what happened?"

Emri looked at Shea with wild excitement. "You teleported us out of there!"

"...excuse me?" He looked at the gray-eyed girl with a confused expression.

"I don't know how it happened, but you somehow activated your demi-god powers and _moved_ us out of there." Emri explained, "Your thoughts were very frantic, and it might have been the stress of the situation that did it."

Shea chewed the inside of his cheek, "What about the triangles on your hands?"

"What triangle?" Blaize asked, looking at the back of his own hand, "I didn't see a triangle."

Claire looked at Blaize and nodded, "Me neither." Emri seemed to agree as well.

Shea pursed his lips as he stood. "Fine then; we need to get moving."

"What about the horses?" Claire asked, standing.

"Arsion can always find me later. He always does. The other horses will naturally stick with him." Shea removed the sheath-belt from his waist to across his chest. For some reason, it fit better there. "But we need to get moving. Now."

And then they started to run.


	20. Stalfos, Goats, and Chickens Oh My!

**_I officially hate school... it's sucking all creativity out of me, so sorry if the chapters come slower and slower. Anywhoes, ya'll better enjoy this chapter. I wrote it out ON PAPER during one of my insane science lectures... enjoy!_**

* * *

**Chapter 19**

"Blaize, you have the _worst_ sense of direction." Claire commented, snidely, after looking around.

Blaize rolled his eyes. "It's better than yours."

Emri only sighed, shaking her head. "Both of your directional senses are screwed up. And quit thinking nasty thoughts at each other. It's giving me a headache."

Shea grinned slightly. Emri and Blaize were constantly bickering... it was a bit irritating. The smallest things would set them off.

"Are you sure that MY thoughts are the ones giving you a headache?" Blaize asked with a sneer.

"I'm positive." Emri replied dryly. "Because yours are the loudest."

It seemed as though Blaize was going to make a comeback, but then there was a groan. So, he had to use the noise to say something. "Who's ever stomach that was… we ate only an hour ago."

Claire walked up to Shea's side. "I don't think that was anyone's stomach, Blaize."

And then skeletal monsters started to appear from out of the ground. Their eyes glowed an orange red in the empty sockets; the bones were a rotted yellow white. The swords were feral.

Shea placed his hand behind him, grasping the sword hilt, and swallowed. He could only watch as hordes and hordes of stalfos surrounded them… maybe it was only a lot to Shea, he didn't know, because Blaize, Emri and Claire were getting ready for an impossible fight.

He drew his sword, praying to any god up in the high heavens that they would get through this alive. His eyes portrayed the emotion he hated most: fear.

One of the stalfos saw it. It raised the brutal sword, and charged. Shea's initial reaction was to parry, which he did. The force of the blow jarred through his arms, shoulders, and down his spine. It made his head spin.

The other stalfos attacked the others, gaining up on all of them. Shea was parrying back and forth, ducking and dodging. Blaize was, really, the only one who knew what the heck he was doing. Not a sound came out his mouth as he nimbly ducked swings and jabs. Emri knocked blow after blow back with her staff, the metal clanging in the air. She flipped through the air, striking down the monsters with a blow to the back.

Claire was a swearing animal. With every kick or punch she gave, out came a nasty word. It was actually very strange to hear language like that come out of Claire… Blaize was rubbing off on her.

Shea's thoughts returned to his fight when the broadside of a sword slammed into his ribcage. He felt a sickening _crunch_ as he fell down with a cry. Pain shot up and down his torso as he rolled over, raising his arm to block the down-swing of the stalfos's sword… he knew he wouldn't be able to withstand the strength of the monster with his broken ribs… there was a sudden flash of green…

Another sword intervened, sending sparks from the metal on metal. The stalfos reeled back, grunting with surprise at the sudden appearance of a cloaked figure, wielding a sword with a hilt as green as a shining emerald. Shea couldn't see his face.

The warrior seemed to not even acknowledge him, but continued fighting the stalfos army. The fluidness of the way the sword was handled made Shea remember of his father. Hope started to rise in his chest at the very thought of maybe… but then the echo of his father's scream resonated in his mind, crushing all thoughts of _what-if_.

The army turned their attention to this not-so-vulnerable-prey, leaving Claire, Emri and Blaize. Claire ran over to help Shea sit, eyebrows knitting together at his wincing and sharp intakes of breath. Emri too, ran over, pointing to the stranger. "Who is this character?" Shea could only shake his head in confusion.

Blaize wasn't ready to end his fight, so he leaped into the midst of the rumble, joining the cloaked warrior.

The man seemed to have seen Blaize, because there was a sharp nod before he swiftly cut down a charging skeleton monster, scattering the bones. He swung and cut like he had been doing this for years… his footwork was nimble, and smooth, like a well-learned dance.

A stalfos rushed; it was met by shining metal… but the leap forward forced the hood down off of the man's face… Shea grimaced. From where he sat, he could see that scars and burns had mangled the entire right side of the man's face. He seemed to be in his early forties. The blue eyes were surrounded by what looked like months of weary travel. For a second, he looked like Shea's father.

_No… he's dead. There's no way. _Shea forced himself to think, to believe. And he did.

The last pile of bones was scattered when the warrior walked up to Shea. Shea couldn't look in his eyes. They reminded him of his father's eyes… it was too painful to bear.

"Your ribcage is broken."

Shea fought tears. He even sounded like him…! What deity would do this to him?!

Hard, callused, yet gentle hands pulled his shirt up over his side, revealing a green bruise. Shea heard Blaize hiss in when he saw that it extended all the way up the side of his torso.

Out of the corner of his eye, Shea could see the man shaking his head as he rummaged in his pack, muttering in a language that Shea couldn't understand.

The man took out a phial of red liquid, and took the stopper off. "Drink this, Shea."

Shea blinked. "How do you know my name?"

"I've been watching you for a long time. Now drink." The order was commanded once again.

Shea looked at the liquid, grimacing before the liquid was sent down his throat. It tasted _horrible._ But as it made it way down his esophagus, he felt his ribs start mending. It was very uncomfortable, to say the least.

While he endured the strange feeling of bones being put back together, Shea tried to examine the man with out giving it away entirely… if he was truly his father, there would be a blue earring on-

Nope. He was almost relieved. But, Shea still couldn't seem to believe that, now that this man, this man who looks so much like his father, actually _was_. "What do you mean 'you've been watching me?'"

"Word of Exelians looking for a boy about your size, hair color and eye color travels fast… especially when they burn down everything to find you. And I was curious." There was an edge in his voice, "They're right about you, Shea. You _are_ the God of Restoration.The Hylians are... excited, for lack of a better word, about it. Ever since Hyrule fell into chaos six or so years ago, they've done nothing else but pray to the Goddesses for an answer."

Shea cocked his head, "I thought I was the only one who knew about..."

"Don't forget that the Exelians have done their homework. Their goal is to take over Hyrule, and in order to do that, they need everything in complete and utter chaos. Hyrule _is _unbalanced, yes, but not entirely. Wisdom still rules the people, and continues to do so without failure," the man looked at Shea from under his eyebrows, "And she knows that you're coming. Like I said, word travels fast."

Shea shook his head. "Why me? My parents were… normal, people. My dad was a horse trainer and rancher, and my mother was…" he trailed off.

"You don't remember her." It wasn't a question, but a statement.

"No…" Shea looked down, dejectedly.

The man sighed and rubbed his eyebrows, muttering in the language that was indiscernable. "You should try to get some sleep."

Truth be told, Shea actually did feel drowsy. He yawned, before asking, "One more question." He noticed that Claire, Emri and Blaize had –while Shea was talking with this stranger- taken to their own sleeping rolls, and were sound asleep.

"Go ahead."

"Where're you from?"

There was some silence, before the man spoke again. "I'm not sure. My heart lies in many places."

* * *

The man's name was Trace... or so he said. But Shea never questioned him, especially not after what he did. He had already proven that he could be trusted; he garanteed safe passage to Ordon. "But after that, it's a dangerous road. When we leave Ordon, you'll have to be on your toes and watching your back." He warned ominously. 

Trace mostly kept to himself, picking up the rear of the group. Emri would often times drop back to talk with him, for lack of a better conversation with Blaize, who always gave her one-worded answers, sneers, or jibes. From these conversations, Emri had derived from him the information that he was indeed Hylian and very close with the Royal Family of Hyrule at that.

Shea was somewhere near the back of the group when Emri was having a discussion with Trace. He never meant to eavesdrop... it just happened.

"...did you ever have a family?" Emri asked.

Trace stayed silent for a moment. He seemed to be reminiscing in his memories before responding, "Yes. But it was a long time ago."

Emri's eyebrows knit together. "What happened to them?"

"Destiny -some would call it misfortune- tore us apart." And that was the end of that.

As the day drew to a close, Shea was able to see the torches of Ordon. With a sigh of relief, he quickened his step, eager for a bed to lay down in, in replace of a dirt floor. He looked around, observing the small village. He noticed that the people of Ordon didn't have the long ears he, Claire, or Trace had. They were rounded at the top; the people all had smiles on their faces... a band of children ran around with something that looked like a slingshot. The smallest of the kids stopped and looked at Shea with unusually wise eyes; it gave Shea the chills before the child scuttled off after his comrades- "...you gotta aim, stupid..." the child muttered quietly to one of the older children who was attempting to hit a beehive with the slingshot.

Claire chuckled with amusement. "They remind me of ourselves when we were younger..." she nudged Shea with her elbow. He was about to make a remark when there was a very loud call:

"GOAT LOOSE!!"

Shea had about 2.6 seconds to ponder about that warning before realizing that it meant that one of the goats were rushing down a hill and barreling into anything and everything in it's path. The animal put its head down, ready to ram the oval shaped horn into Shea. The said boy braced himself for impact.

There was a _thud_ and Shea opened his eyes. Trace was in front of him, hands on the oval horn of the goat. There was a brief wrestle before the man turned the animal onto its side. The goat gave a load bleat before getting up and calmly walking away to a patch of long grass. Trace wiped his hands together, before putting them rebelliously on his waist, almost asking _Was that all?_

A very overwhelmed-looking man jogged up to Trace, breathing hard. "Thanks. They're always getting out..." the herder scratched his head sheepishly.

Trace put a hand on the man's shoulder, and muttered, "Don't mention it," before walking down the road.

The goat-herder waved to Trace, "It's good to see you again, Trace!"

The latter merely flicked his wrist in a quick 'goodbye.'

The herder blinked before going to attempt to get the goat back up to the ranch at the top of the hill.

Shea looked at Claire before jogging to keep up with the face-paced Trace. "You know where we're staying?"

Trace nodded. "I have some aquaintances here in Ordon," he looked at Shea with a piercing blue eye, "they'll most likely give us room."

Claire was about to say something when she suddenly yelped and fell to the ground with a _crash._ Shea looked at her, puzzled, until she pointed angrily at the cause of her tripping.

A brown chicken walked dumbly in front of her, clucking with everystep, looking at the ground with beady black eyes. It looked at Claire for a second, snapping its head to look at Shea, before continuing its walking-clucking combination.

Shea offered his hand to Claire, helping her up. "Bring back memories?"

Claire nodded stiffly, "But it was always _you _tripping over the dumb things."

Shea blinked, staring into Claire's eyes, getting lost in them... he noticed that they were especially pretty tonight...

Emri waved her hand in front of the two. "Hello! Trace said that his 'friend's' house is just up the road. And if you ask me, I'm very tired and I wish to sleep in a real bed tonight." She put her hands on her hips, waiting.

Shea scratched his head. "Y-yeah. Let's go."

* * *

**_Ok. Normally I would have some reviews on the previous chapter by now... so I'm gonna NOT put anymore chapters up until I start getting some reviews! I need to know if people are actually reading this thing. The 'hit' number doens't really tell me much._**

**_Anyways, thanks to all of you who ARE reading. It means a lot. Hahah. How'd you all like Trace? Squealing at the SheaxClaire moments? I want to know! (hinting at reviews)_**


	21. Shea's Dream

**_Draye: Oh my goodness! Your review made me laugh so hard. I really hadn't thought about that when I put him in... Hahah. Thanks for that input!_**

**_A. Navi: __I actually do think that you have reviewed all or most of the chapters, ever since the prologue. But you really make me laugh. '_**Now either it's going to totally be Link or your just playing us on until you kill our brains by revealing that it's not Link.**_' Yes, I am going to kill your brain. I will kill it nice, and slow... [insert evil laughter here_** **_Oh, and on the EmrixBlaize thing... I'm sorry to say that these two will never be a couple. _**

**_OK. Now that that's over with, onto writing!_**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 20**

_For an odd reason, he was traveling very fast over foriegn plains and mountains. Was he flying? Or was he running? He couldn't tell, because the scenes changed too quickly for him to absorb anything._

_A castle rose up in the distance. The spiers grazed the blue-black sky; the blue and gold flags waved dully in the cool breeze. The gray stone was almost battle-scarred, black in places and withering away. He could tell it had once been a magnificent building, indeed. _

_He blinked, and the fields around the castle were burning; they held no life. There was no way that there was once life! The brown grass was still burning in areas, sending up gray, thick smoke. With a sudden bang, he realized that he was looking down on Hyrule... or what was left of it._

_The scene changed and he was inside Hyrule Castle, standing atop what seemed like a long staircase. The castle was quiet; occasionally there would be footsteps echoing lightly against the stone walls. The blue drapes were hung over multi-colored glass windows, depicting legends and stories from long ago. One the blue cloth, was a triforce, being raised by a golden bird. He realized as well that this was the standard of Hyrule. So the carvings in the small horse he once had back in Termina, and the necklace, wasn't just coincidence._

_He took a step down the marble stairs, looking at all of the paintings and tapestries with a hidden awe. His eyes glanced a covered painting... the brown cloth was draped over the frame as if to hide what was beneath it. A draft blew a corner up, picking his interest. Walking over to the hidding canvas, he lifted the drape... and stepped back with shock._

_His father was the source of the picture. A much younger version, at that, but it was Link all the same. The sharp, blue eyes were laughing a laugh that matched the bright smile that he only knew so well. A smile that would turn away any storm clouds... Link was sitting astride a younger version of Epona, who looked proud, and regal: an animal who glowed with a wild beauty._

_But there was another person in the picture. A young woman, around Picture Link's age. Her golden hair cascaded along her back, a golden tiara on her forhead. Her white-silk, gloved hand was holding Link's much larger, work-worn one. The woman's violet eyes were warm, soft, but shining with pure joy. Link was returning the gentle look to her, and Shea knew that this woman was his mother._

_Shea lowered the drape, blinking. This was the first image of his mother he had seen ever since well... since she had left, and his memory of her had started to fade. His father was right... they did love each other. Shea could tell that by the captured expressions in the picture._

_Voices and footsteps alerted him of coming people. He stepped back into shadows, but he knew that he wasn't concealed enough. Shea pressed himself into the stone wall, waiting._

_"...and the Gorons?" a tired voice asked._

_"Sending all their help. They're making armor from the ore they collect in the volcano." Another voice responded._

_A squad of people rounded a corner, led by an older version of the woman in the previous picture: Shea's mother. She was still, in his eyes, the most beautiful thing he had seen in his life, despite the disheveled look about her. There were tired, gray areas under her eyes, and her forehead was creased with constant worry. Her gold hair was tied up in a braid that fell over her shoulder. The group passed by Shea without even a glance at the boy._

_He removed himself from his hiding place and followed._

_His mother spoke again, "The last attack was almost half-hearted... the Exelians are up to something. Where is Cicierga?" She asked, sharply._

_One of her councelors spoke up, "He's tending the wounded."_

_"But he should be here _now._" The worried monarch snapped._

_"No, worries, Your Highness. I'm here." A deep voice issued forth as a man in half-armor met them up the stairs. _

_Shea's mother frowned, "What's the devestation?"_

_"Not good, Princess Zelda. Kakariko's still on fire; people are being left homeless with the hours passing. We're running low on food... Ordon just suffered a storm that blocked their usual trade passage."_

_Zelda rubbed her temples, "The sooner my so- ... Rhairu's demi-god can get here safely, the better."_

_"Would you like me to send a party to escort him here? The Exelians are patrolling all roads-" The army captain optioned, but was cut off by Zelda._

_"No. He's got all the help he needs... you remember my friend, Trace? I sent him to find Rhairu." _

_Shea noticed an odd tone in the way his mother spoke of Trace. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion._

_Cicierga smothered a worried laugh with a cough, "But, Your Highness. One man can't possibly stand up to the forces of the Exelians. You've seen what just five of them can do..."_

_Zelda shot the man a hard look, "I would put my life in Trace's hands. And that's not my tongue making light talk," she then muttered sadly, "He knew Link better than I ever have." She turned to look up into her council's eyes for more discussing on the wellfare of her people._

_The soldier bowed his head in respect, "But, is there anything that I can do? For the good of this country?"_

_The regal monarch turned her head, "You can continue doing all the humanitarian things that you and your squad are currently doing. That's the first thing to get Hyrule back on it's feet... and to move us towards our victory in this war."_

_Cicierga bowed low, "Yes, Your Highness. May the Goddesses go with you."_

_Zelda inclined her head, "May the Goddesses blessings be upon you."_

_With the soldier gone, the princess was able to sigh and break her formal stance as she continued on her way down the stairs. "Get me some milk tea..." she asked, her voice having lost all regalness to it. She uncerimoniously fell into a chair with a sigh of relief. A servant brought out a tray with the princess' drink. He poured it, bowing low. Shea noticed that, even this time of need, they all still obeyed her; respected her; loved her._

_"Your Highness?" One of the councilmen spoke up._

_"Hm?" Zelda replied, swallowing the hot liquid._

_"Rhairu's Messenger... I was trying to look something up on him... and I found the legend of Rhairu and his promise. In order for this to be happening... that would have had to mean that-"_

_"-the Messenger is my child? Yes." The princess admitted, closing her eyes and bowing her head._

_"But -if it is out of my place to ask, just say so- who is the father? Who is the Courage part of the prophecy?" The councilman pressed._

_Zelda remained silent, a sad look overcoming her face, "You all remember my childhood friend, Link? He is the bearer of the Triforce of Courage. But," she paused at the council's shocked expressions, "he and I... we never... I don't understand how it happened, but the Goddesses were able to make it happen. I have my guesses, but I cannot be sure until I die and am able to ask the Goddesses face to face." A beam of light seemed to be shining from the princess' face, "The Messenger of Rhairu is a pure being, so the people he had to have come from had to have been pure. The Messenger of Rhairu is my son! I haven't seen him for almost nine years... you have no idea how much I am relying on this prophecy. One can not understand the anxiety I am feeling until they too have experienced those nine, painful years-" she broke off in a sob. She put her hand to her chest, a took a shuddering breath, "He'll have so many questions... But we cannot afford for him to be captured by the Exelians. That's why I sent Trace out into the field to find him and bring him here. If the Exelians get Rhairu's Messenger... he, along with many other people, will not come out of this war alive."_

_And then Shea's mother's eyes fell upon the visionary version of her son. Shea stood there, locked in eye-contact with his mother. Now he knew... he really knew that she cared for him..._

_"BLAIZE, GET OUT OF HERE!!"_

* * *

Shea's eyes snapped opened to a scream, crashing, and cursing. He sat up sharply, to find Blaize stumble into the room, face bright red... brighter-than-his-eyes red. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!!" He repeatedly called over his shoulder.

Emri came in, clothes in a disarray, bo-staff extended. "_Have. You. Ever. Heard. About. Knocking!?"_ She knocked him over the head with each word with her staff. Shea winced for the poor Exelian...

"Emri, what happened?" He made the mistake of asking.

"This little pervert walked in on me an' Claire while we were getting washed and dressed!" She whacked Blaize on the head again.

"Heyy! I had no idea! You said 'one-second,' so I waited outside for one second!" He was almost whining...

Emri cracked an angry grin, "You really don't understand the meaning of those types of phrases, do you?" she hissed, and bopped him on the head again.

"Stop hitting me!"

"I can hit you all I want!"

"That sounds dirty."

"_Pervert!_"

_Whack! _

Shea fell back on his pillow and pulled the sheets over his head...


	22. Prince Radek

**_Rebel: Hey, I'm sorry that I'm taking long with this chapter. But I tend to get writer's block for long periods of time. I'm sorry if I'm not one of those people who can punch out a chapter per day; I have a disease: it's called 'life.' Symptoms often include school, homework, friends, and family issues. So again, I'm sorry._**

**_Kronos: That was real mature, Kronos. Real mature. The same message for Rebel also goes for you. If you ever decide to look at this again... thanks to your immaturity. _ **

* * *

**Chapter 21**

"The road's been blocked off by that storm last night. Apparently, lightning plus the wind had blown and knocked more than a few of the trees over. It'd be impossible to travel over them, even on foot." Trace informed the four teenagers the next morning. He seemed unaffected by the bad news.

This was proof that his dream had been more than that... maybe a vision... "So? We can still pass through it! We need to get to Hyrule as soon as possible. Kakariko is on fire and they're running out of food..." he stopped himself at the strange looks he was receiving from Emri, Claire, and Blaize.

Trace looked into the boy's eyes, undaunted. "Even with your determination, there's no possible way to traverse the current condition of the road. The trees are much larger than the ones in your homeland; much older."

Shea slumped against a nearby wall, and sighed defeatedly. "How long?"

"A day at the most," Trace informed, "the villagers here are very dependent on their trading with Hyrule. That road is, literally, their lifestyle."

Emri looked around before pipping up, "Well, then we're just going to have to find something better to do in his village. I'm _sure _there's something to do."

Trace looked around, and spotted the kids they had seen yesterday. "They aren't as old as you all are, but they've grown up since I last lived here. I'm sure they can find something to do... they always do," he seemed to be reminscing in his memories before pointing down a road towards a hill, "That way is to Faron Forest, but also the Light Spirit's spring. The spring can heal any wounds, but also people go there to seek advice from the Light Spirit Ordona. It's a sacred place, so watch what you do if you think to go up there." He warned.

Blaize didn't say anything, but turned on his heel to walk back into the house... he had been complaing of a headache every since waking up. Emri gave a salute to Trace before bounding off in the direction of the spring, Claire following.

As Shea started to walk down the road, Trace called his name. Shea turned around, to find the man beckoning him to come back.

"Go down the road, and you'll find the river. Follow that downstream until you come to a small pond with a stone pillar in the middle. Dive down and there should be a boulder. The boulder should be loose..." he trailed off in mid-thought before giving Shea a gentle shove in the direction he was pointing.

As he walked, he past a woman carrying a basket. She gave Shea a smile before doing a double-take as he passed her. "Great Goddesses..." she whispered before calling out, "Hey!"

Shea turned around, expression confused. The woman clapped her hand to her mouth, before her eyes started to tear up. "Gracious be! Thank the Goddesses you're here!" She dropped the basket and ran to Shea, wrapping him in a hug. "You're here, praise the Goddesses above, you're here!" The woman was crying tears of joy now, as she rocked Shea.

Shea didn't know what to make of the greeting. He hesitantly put his arms around the woman, stiffly. "Thank you..." he attempted to wrestle free, feeling a bit uncomfortable now that people were staring.

The woman quicky removed from her embrace, red in the face. "Oh, I'm so sorry. It's just we've been waiting for a long time for you to arrive here, Shea, Messenger of Rhairu." Her face was beaming. Bypassers stopped and looked at Shea with awe, drawing in gasps before creating a circle around him. Shea scratched his head. He really wanted to run away... he had never liked a whole bunch of people staring at him with such intent.

"Alright, move along. We'll send Her Highness a notice right away." A deep voice boomed forth from the crowd. The crowd seperated, and an older man followed by a boy a few years older than Shea pushed through with ease. The boy had blonde hair that fell over his eyes, but was tied back at the bottom of his neck with a leather strap. A sword rested across his back with a shield. His eyes held a very fierce determination, but yet they were very young.

The older man looked around to make sure the crowd was gone, before holding out his hand. "Sorry about that. People just get very excited, nowadays. My name's Rusl, and this is my son, Collin."

Shea shook Rusl's hand, "Thanks. I'm Shea."

Rusl smiled before shaking his head in disbelief. "You're the spitting image of your father, you know that?" he continued to run his eyes over Shea, "...spitting image..."

Shea gave a weak smile, and briefly looked at Collin. The boy hadn't said anything; he just merely stared at Shea.

"Shea! _Shea!_"

Shea turned around to see Claire running towards him at full speed, red hair bobbing. She stopped in front of him with a skid, bending over and breathing heavily. "Emri... lake... save... _boulder_!!" she gasped out.

Shea blinked, trying to comprehend what Claire was trying to say. Then it clicked. He quickly turned to Rusl to murmur a quick, "Sorry," before running off in the direction from where Claire had just ran from.

He leaped over a few fallen logs, and came to a small pond. It was definatly deep, he concluded as he scanned the bottom for Emri. There was a boulder... but no Emri.

"...Listen, I don't know if you and I- Oh, thank the _Goddesses_, Shea, you're here!"

Shea turned around, and suppressed a huge bought of laughter.

Emri was backed into a tree, and a blue, fish-like kid was approaching her. He barely came up to her chest, and his blue skin was scaley. His fin at the top of his head flapped excitedly, "So? You can swim, and hold your breath for a long time. And you're pretty. That's really all that matters." The kid said, probably with a quiet smirk.

Emri pressed herself into the tree even more, letting out a nervous chuckle, "But what happens if I already have boyfriend?"

"You'll just have to break up with him." The fish-kid said, stubbornly crossing his arms. He turned around, and Shea got a good look at his face. The blue skin was stretched taught across high cheekbones, and a small nose. Black, almond shaped eyes stared at Shea. If possible, those eyes turned very fierce. "I don't suppose _you're _the said boyfriend?" He sneered. "Tough luck, Land-legs!"

Shea stared at the creature incredulously, "What the _heck_ did he just call me? And what is he?"

At the same time, Claire huffed, "They're not together," she said quietly.

The boy sniffed, "I am a Zora, the noble race created to guard Hyrule's waters. I am Prince Radek, next in line for the throne." He looked away, offended that Shea didn't know who he was.

Shea blinked. _A... Zora?_

Emri, apparently, saw Shea's confused look, and explained, "Zoras are the guardians of Hyrule's water, and are very elegant people. They are native to places with large water sources, such as Hyrule and Termina. I'm surprised you didn't know what Zora's were, Shea, considering that in Termina, there's a rock-band made up of entirely Zoras! The Indago-go's? Lead singer is Lu-Lu?" Emri asked hopefully as Shea's expression didn't change. She sighed, "Nevermind. Anyways, this kid, Radek, thinks that I'll marry him. Just because he said so." She scoffed.

"Ah," Shea replied, looking at Prince Radek, "How old are you?" He asked, curiously.

Radek held his regal head high, "Almost eleven!"

Shea saw Emri's face turn a ridiculous shade of red. He refrained from laughing, before responding to Radek, "And don't you think that Emri's a little too old for you?"

At this, Radek turned furious again, "What does it matter to you, anyways, Land-legs? I already told you to break up with her!"

Claire screamed in anguish, "They're _not together!_"

Shea looked at Claire, oddly, as she was on the verge of tearing her hair out out of frusteration, before continuing calmly, "Listen, Radek, don't you have any girls back in your... village?" he desperately wanted to say 'school,' but remembered that Zora's were also people.

Radek turned away, stubbornly, "They're not decent enough." He muttered before turning his head towards the trail.

Blaize stepped out of the bushes, and looked around, red eyes falling on the young Zora. "...the hell is that thing?"

As Radek was about to set off on one of his speeches again, Shea interefered, "Just the Zora prince thinking that he's going to marry Emri."

Blaize snorted, before rubbing his palms together, "Want me to get rid of him?"

Shea shook his head, "I got it all under control." He looked down at Radek, "Why don't you go home, ask your mother if it'll be alright to marry a human girl almost five years older than you, and then come back with her answer?"

At this, Radek looked down. "She wouldn't approve... I already know that..." he looked up at Emri with his black eyes, and took her hand in his, "When I'm king, I'll come for you! And then we'll rule, side by side, with you as my queen!" He kissed Emri's hand before taking a diving leap into the blue water of the pond. He swam in a circle, leaping up before disappearing into a cavern at the bottom of the deep pond.

Emri was staring at her hand, which Radek had kissed. "...eeww... it was _scaley._"

Blaize had turned a deep shade of crimson from not laughing; Claire was still fuming (for some odd reason that Shea couldn't quite seem to figure out); and Emri was staring disgustedly at her hand before whiping it off on her pant leg previous to her speaking, "Shea, did you realize how calm you were talking to Radek; how peacefully you resolved my little... predicament?" She pointed out, grey eyes starting to sparkle excitedly.

Shea cocked his head, "...No. Not really."

Emri grinned, "I think you're becoming more and more in tune with Rhairu's powers! Think about it. If this incident had come up a week ago, how peacefully would you have been able to solve it?"

"Not very much," Shea admitted, "but then again, I've been intervening most of your arguements with Blaize." He inclined his head toward's the latter-mentioned.

Emri shrugged, "Well, we'd better get back to the village and find something else to do."


	23. Jealousy

**_Rebel: I couldn't tell if that was an encouraging comment, or not, but thanks for the review, anyways!_**

**_Kronos: I pity you, I really do, because everyone and anyone who wishes can now see how truly pathetic you really are. Your... 'constructive critisism' has no relevancy to anything you said in it. A pathetic excuse to try to get me daunted. Your insinuations -they do not deserve to be called insults- only succeed in making you more pitiful. I could write you up for harrasment, seeing as you have nothing on me, and all you're doing is attempting to make me look bad. All for what? Giving you some advice on your own story? From what I recall, I said nothing hurtful or rude. You even admitted it was your first. Your next could have been better. And about my 'serious editing...' Guess who's got about 64 reviews? Now I'm going to let this drop, and if you choose to harass me any more, I will write you up. You have nothing on me, so don't even try._**

**_A. Navi: Radek? He's more of Ralis' cousin. You'll just have to wait and see to find out more about him! Thanks for being an avid reader!_**

* * *

**Chapter 22  
**-Claire's Point of View-

Claire drummed her fingers on a table, and sighed. The incident with Radek earlier today had almost shaken her. Because she had gotten so jealous. Shea had looked at her with the expression of confusement, which, to Claire, was almost a good thing.

They had come back to the village about noon, and had gone to help Fado -the shepherd from the other day- with his goats. There, she had learned that Fado was one, incapable of doing his job alone; and two, that Blaize hated all animals.

Claire sighed again, and looked over to the table where Blaize and Shea were sitting. She really wished she could hear what they were saying, but Shea had pulled the pyromaniac over... they had been talking for about five minutes.

The door opened, and Emri walked in. "Hey, Claire!"

Claire smiled and gave a weak wave.

Emri, taking note of her friend's mental emotions, sat down. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Claire lied, "I'm just... thinking."

"Mmhm. About a certain someone?" Emri said slyly, leaning in. At Claire's defeated look, she chuckled, "Is the certain someone... Shea?"

Claire fell back in her chair, the air sputtering from her lips. "Is it really that obvious?"

Emri laughed triumphantly, "Honey, I had it figured out since day one," she winked, "but don't worry. Shea's not exactly the brightest tool in the shed when it comes to love and girl's emotions."

Claire looked at Emri with a dull smile, "Thanks for that."

"Glad to be of service!" Emri saluted.

Claire looked away, and chewed on her lower lip. She watched Shea give Blaize a blank expression, and Blaize looked like he wanted to smack himself on the forehead many times. Claire wondered what they were talking about.

Emri groaned after a minute or so, "I honestly cannot take it anymore! Claire, your emotions are killing me!" She stood and scooted her chair next to the surprised red-head. She put her arm around the girl's shoulder, and whispered in her ear, "The secret to a man's heart is jealousy. In order to get them to notice you, is jealousy. Men get jealous real easy, you see? So, pick any guy in this room. Anyone at all."

Claire gave the empath a strange look before scanning the room, and pointed, "That one."

Emri looked the boy over and nodded, "Nice taste, nice taste. Okay, now you have to go up to him, and just start talking, all casual. Make sure to introduce yourself. When you feel like you two are nice and comfortable as aquaintances... this is the step that you have to, absolutely _have_ to, make sure that Shea is watching... kiss the guy, nice and good. I'm going to go get a drink. When I get back, I expect to find you in Shea's arms." With that, she stood up and walked to the inn kitchen.

Claire looked at her previous choice, and deflated once again. She couldn't do it... with a sigh, she stood up.

* * *

--Shea's Point of View--

"Blaize, can I talk to you for a second? As in, now?" Shea looked into the pyro's eyes, arms crossed and tapping his foot. He ignored Claire's look of surprise.

Blaize blinked, and gave a half-hearted groan, "What ever you say, Mr. Demi-god."

Shea gave him a scowl before pulling him over to the opposite side of the lobby, where Claire couldn't hear them. "I need some.. um..." he muttered the last word under his breath.

Blaize blinked again, "What?"

"I said I need some advi..." Shea repeated, still mumbling the last word.

By this time, Blaize had raised his eyebrows and was smirking, "What was that? I couldn't understand what you said."

"I said," Shea growled, "I need some ad_vice_."

Blaize looked quite content with himself now, as his smirk had grown wider, "Well, I guess I _could_ help you with your crush problem."

Shea raised his eyebrow, "You know?"

"It's more than a bit obvious. But I highly doubt Claire knows."

Shea was tapping his foot again. "Okay, since you're such the ladies man, what should I do?"

Blaize's smirk was gone, "Jump her."

Shea blinked.

"...you know, the phrase, 'Jump her bones?' 'Go falala with her?'" He added, for simplicity's reason.

Shea blinked again, completely clueless.

Blaize had the expression of utter frusteration, seeing as he wanted to smack himself very hard at the moment, "Just freaking kiss her."

Shea frowned, "Are you sure?"

"Positive. If she feels the same way for you, she'll kiss you back, and you two can go... frolic, or something. If not, you might get smacked, but then you guys can move on and forget about the whole incident and you can go back to being peachy. Either way, you'll both end up just so _damn peachy!_"

Shea looked down, and over at Claire. She was talking with Emri; it somewhat bothered him that they were close together with Claire pointing at another person in the lobby. Actually, it really bothered him. "Fine. I'm going to go check up on something with Trace, and then I'll be back." He didn't notice Emri leave only moments before him. He walked out the door to go look for Trace.

Meanwhile, Blaize watched with confusion as Claire stood up and started to walk towards a random teenager in the lobby...

* * *

"...the road can't be cleared for another day. The storm left more damage than we thought. It extended past the Faron forest to the very entrance of the province." Trace informed a disheartened Shea. 

Shea made a low, growling moaning sound in his throat. "Fine, fine. I guess we'll have to wait. Now, if you'll excuse me..." he turned on his heel, slightly irritated. He was irritated that they were spending so much time in Ordon when with every second, Hyrule is getting burned to waste, and he was irritated at the task he was about to do... all for the sake of his love-life.

He blamed Blaize.

Shea heard Trace's deep chuckle as he walked out the door. The road was lit with oil-lamps, and Ordon was at peace. His boots made slight crunching sounds on the dirt road, and the warm, night air had a slight breeze to it; the stars were twinkling in the dark, night sky. The environment made his mood rise a little bit.

Emri appeared around the corner, and jumped, _"Shea_! What are you doing here?"

The said boy was startled at her forwardness. "Um... I was checking on the status of the road with Tra-"

"That's not what I mean! I mean, why aren't you in the inn?" Emri demanded; Shea was very confused.

"Why should I be at the inn...?"

"...nothing. Let's just go." She started to walk at a very brisk pace.

Shea had to jog to catch up with her, a little confused at her sudden mood and tone change. He slowed to a fast walk by Emri's side. As they neared the inn, he asked, "Why, exactly, should I be at the inn?"

Emri must have said something, but Shea didn't catch it. Emri had opened the door... and he watched as Blaize and Claire locked their lips. Passionatly. Rage boiled up inside his chest, mingled with hurt... but mostly rage. "_BLAIZE!"_

Blaize and Claire pulled apart, Claire's green eyes widening to an unbelievable size, and Blaize's red ones suddenly filling with a very rare emotion on his part: fear.

"I swear I didn-"

Emri was red in the face, "You... you... you _womanizer!!_"

Blaize's jaw dropped, "What? You can't get off calling me that, she kissed me!"

"But you _let_ her! _Pig!_"

Blaize stared at Emri with annoyance, "Listen-"

"_I'M GONNA KICK YOUR ASS_!!" Shea raged, clenching his fists, wanting to lunge at the pyro, wanting to beat him to a sodding little pulp. The filthy Exelian was a filthy _traitor!_

Claire looked between the two boys, before walking cautiously over to Shea, "Shea... why don't we-"

"What the... what the hell! You're all pshychotic!" Blaize said at the same time that Claire had attempted to get Shea's attention.

"I'LL KILL YO-"

"Um... stop?"

"..._cannot_ believe that we have such a moron like you with us..."

"... _shuttup_!!"

Shea didn't want to get violent... but by Goddesses this was too much for him to handle. With a very colorful word, he spun around and stormed out the inn, not noticing how silent the inn had gotten during the outburst, and slammed the door behind him with a loud _bang!_

Emri watched Shea's retreat before giving Blaize a cold glare, "Way to go, Fire-boy."

"Again, what the hell did I do?!"

Claire sighed, "Guys, stop fighting. It's my fault... I never should have done it." She admitted before leaving the inn.

Blaize's jaw had dropped, as Emri looked back at Blaize, still glaring, "So. How was your 'falala?'"


	24. The Last Day

**_Art is now up. Go to my profile, and scroll down until you find the link to my deviant art gallery. Go check it out!_**

**_Ezikiel: Hahah, I was laughing so hard when I was writing it. Thanks for your continuing support. And I agree; having more chapters to read one after another is always better. _**

**_Rebel: You never offended me; Maybe I got a little frusterated, but that was for reasons other than you. So it's all good! I'm glad you like the story. _**

**_

* * *

_**

**Chapter 23**

Shea did not go back to the inn that night, nor did Claire ever find him. He never even slept. The only thing that was going on through his mind was the image of Claire and Blaize kissing. It left an empty feeling in his gut.

He gave a frusterated groan and threw a rock into the Ordon river. They were delayed another day. Another _Goddess forsaken_ day!

Jamming his hands into his pockets, he kicked at a loose stone. He kicked it all the way down the path until he came to a hill. Curious, he thought to himself, _Would the spring heal a broken heart?_ He gave a wry smile before trudging up the hill.

On his way up the hill previously to go save Emri from what he thought was drowning, he hadn't had the time to observe anything up here. As he walked, was aware that this was the most wooded area he'd seen so far: secluded. It reminded him of home...

While reminiscing, Shea --being the uncoordinated free-falling person that he was-- tripped on an upturned root. Throwing his hands out, he scolded himself for possibly being the first person to have ever fallen up a hill.

He stood, and dusted himself off before looking up; his eyes widened. How he didn't notice this little detail the day before slipped his mind.

A house was built into a large tree atop a small cliff; vines and moss had overgrown half of the wood, but the wooden ladder remained intact. Reaching out, Shea wondered who's house this was... it was obvious that no one had lived here for years.

Timidly, he took his first step up the ladder, and then the second, third, and fourth. He merely touched the door, and it swung open with a loud _creeaak._ The smell of old wood and must filled his nose; it was home.

Pushing the door open further, he tentativly stepped inside. The wooden floorboards groaned slightly, and Shea looked around... the house itself wasn't very large, circular in shape, and hand-carved steps spiralled up along the wall. Pictures spaced the walls... Shea took it all in with bright eyes as he slowly made his way up the stairs. The pictures were faded with age, yellow in color, but Shea could make out the subjects of the photos.

They were definately younger versions of his father. This house had once belonged to Link.

Shea ran a finger over one of the pictures, leaving a line that was clear of dust. His eyebrows furrowed together at the sight of a girl standing next to Link. He brushed away some more dust. The girl had short hair that curled around her small ears. Link had both his arms around her in a large bearhug, and they were both laughing. Shea took the picture off the wall, and stared at the two teenagers, mouth pulling into a frown.

"Her name's Illia. She was the mayor's daughter." A voice stated. Shea yelped, startled. He turned around and was met by Rusl's smiling face.

Shea looked down at the picture, "What happened to her?"

"When Link had left, she moved to Castle Town, got married, and now is raising five children," Rusl explained before laughing at Shea's face, "You look like you want to hurt something. What's on your mind?"

Shea had been staring at the happy face of his father and Illia, "Did my dad... ever like her? As in, more than a friend?"

Rusl drew in a deep breath before starting slowly, "For a time... yes. But then it turned into more of a... brotherly love, as destiny and fate began to unfold."

Shea cocked an eyebrow and tilted his head, "What do you mean, exactly?" Rusl was keeping something from him. Shea could tell by the tone and manner by which he was talking.

"Your father's destiny is very complicated. You see," Rusl looked like he was backed into a corner, and was fighting for a way out, "his story cannot be told in one sitting... and Trace knows the story better than I do." He was hinting that he didn't want to continue this conversation, but Shea wasn't about to let up.

"I'd rather hear it from someone who lived in the same village as my father." Shea resisted from grinning triumphantly when Rusl sighed in defeat.

"You really do have your father's qualities; good and bad." That brought a frown to Shea's face, but Rusl continued, "I'm sure you know the legend of the three goddesses, correct? Well, Link was chosen by Farore to be her... representative in this world. He was the bearer of the Triforce of Courage, and he bore it well. At a very young age, he was asked to do the impossible. He's traveled through time; gone to where no person has ever dared travel, solving complex, mind bending puzzles that would have killed the average person. He -along with the seven sages- sealed the tyrant, Ganondorf, into the Sacred Realm. During that particular journey, was when he fell in love with the princess of Hyrule. But, destiny could not have them together at that time. When Ganondorf was sealed away, she sent them back to their right ages to live out their lives. That was when Link came here, with memories of his journey. No one else remembered the parentless boy who single-handedly saved Hyrule from destruction, except a few," Rusl paused, "But that, my boy, was only the short version. I recommend you ask Trace for the longer, more detailed one." He winked at Shea, "And, when you have the time, ask him for some more stories of your father. They're actually quite interesting when in detail." Rusl made his way back down the stairs before turning again, "Oh, and Shea?"

"Hm?" Shea responded.

"The town is holding a... ball, if you will, to celebrate you and the welfare of Hyrule. They have asked me to ask you if you would come. It's tonight," he smiled before walking out of the house with a wave, leaving Shea still standing on the staircase.

* * *

"Shea, I'm sick of it." 

The moment Shea had walked into the inn lobby, Emri had bombarded him. "Sick of what?"

"Your _hair._ It's gotten too long! Either you do something about it, or I'll chop it off." Emri threatened, pointing a fork at him. Claire was sitting next to Emri, and muttered in agreement, not meeting Shea's eyes. Emri didn't notice, but said more urgently, "_Before _tonight! Balls are formal attire. So I suggest you go find something other than... that." She was addressing the dirty clothing that Shea was currently wearing.

Shea rolled his eyes, and waved it off as he headed to his (and regretably, Blaize's) room. Thankfully, the pyro wasn't in, so Shea would have to commit murder.

...do something with his hair? What was that supposed to mean? Shea thought that the length was fine; he honestly didn't know what Emri was talking about.

He sighed, and looked around. One of their pack-strings had broken the other day, and Emri -always the resourceful one- refused to throw it away. She had given it to Blaize for safekeeping... Shea snorted at the thought. The string was lying on the table, forlornly.

Shaking his head, Shea walked into the small room that adjoined with the bedroom, taking off his shirt as he walked. It was miraculous that he didn't run into a wall. Reaching the water basin, he threw his head into the water, taking a gulp of air. He let the cold water flow around his face, and permeate into his hair. He straightened slowly, exhaling, water droplets running down his neck and his chest. It was cold... it felt so refreshing.

He splashed some more water on his face, using a towel to dry himself off, and stared at his face in the mirror. Rusl kept telling him how much he looked like his father... but Shea only saw a teenage boy whoes face traced worry in every line and every hollow. He saw a sullen mouth, and eyes that had seen too much. Nothing that looked like his father.

If Link had been the great hero that Rusl claimed that he was... then Shea felt ridiculously small and unimportant.

He heard the door open, and Blaize's voice called, "Shea?" His head poked around the corner, and his infuriating mouth pulled up into a smirk. "You know who'd like that? Claire."

Shea threw the towel at the Exelian's face.

Blaize caught it and walked into the bathroom, "You know, I really didn't do anything. She kissed me."

"Shove a cork in it." Shea growled, leaning on the counter and staring into the water.

Blaize sighed and leaned against the wall, "Here's what happened. When you left, Claire walked over and started talking to me. Casual. I swear, I didn't provoke anything. But the next thing I knew, she had her lips locked to me, and you and Emri were screaming like the world was gonna end."

Shea turned his head only a fraction, looking at Blaize out of the corner of his eye, "Certain?"

"Positive. Damn, Shea. Do I look like the kind of person who would go around kissing other people's love interests?"

Shea cocked an eyebrow, "Well... yeah."

Blaize frowned, but then grinned sourly. "I suppose Emri told you about that party tonight."

"...she told me my hair was 'too long.' I really don't understand what her problem is."

"From what I can tell, she's very traditional about everything. The other day I had my shirt off and she told me it was insulting and ordered me to put it back on." He snorted. He had obviously ignored her.

Shea stared at his damp hair, and walked back into the bedroom. He picked up the pack-string, and looked at it. He turned to a small mirror, and to his best ability, pulled his hair back to the top of his neck, tying it with the string. Shea looked at himself and thought, _Now I look like him._

* * *

--Claire and Emri--

"Claire, are you _sure _this is absolutely necessary?" Emri whined as Claire expertly began pulling at the girl's brown hair.

Claire licked her lip, "Of course it is! You can't wear a ponytail to a ball. Even _I _know that!" She smiled, "Besides, the prettier you look, the more guys will be attracted to you. I heard some women of the village talking about Hylian soldiers making their rounds tonight. They were pretty excited about it."

Emri raised her eyebrow, wincing in the process. "You've gotten... more girly, since this whole crush thing started, huh?"

"What are you talking about?" Claire stuck five pins in her mouth, twisting Emri's hair in various directions.

"When I first met you -ouch!- you could give a dodongo's backside for looks. And now... you're doing my hair, for Nayru's sake! _Ouch!_" She winced, slapping Claire's hand.

Claire pulled a pin out of her mouth, sticking it into Emri's hair. "Really? I guess I have been... trying to get his attention a bit differently than I normally would have."

Emri snorted, "It's okay. It's completely normal- Absolutely, _no roughing my hair_!" She scolded as Claire put a comb to Emri's hair. Emri sniffed, "It's improper."

Claire rolled her eyes and continued pinning Emri's hair up. "So, aside from your... previous advice, what should I do?"

Emri shrugged, "Be more frontal. Not so much of kissing, but try taking his hand. Hug him a lot. It'll be hard to get him to forgive you. You should have felt his emotions last night. I really wanted to kill Blaize because Shea's emotions were so powerful. Not that I was already going to hurt the pyromaniac, but you get the idea."

Claire looked down, hands moving automatically in pinning Emri's hair. "It was a stupid mistake..."

"My mistake for telling you to do it. Any guy, for that matter, would have set Shea off. Although, Shea and Blaize are pretty close, despite what they let on. So, there was a high chance that Blaize would have known for Shea's feelings towards you." Emri said, thoughtfully before snapping, "_What _are you doing with my hair!?"

"Pinning it up."

"I like look like I had just gone through a steam room! Take it out. Please?" Emri begged as she looked in the mirror.

Claire sighed and began pulling the pins out, laying Emri's hair flat. "What would you like your hair to look like, Emri Cailyn?"

Emri shrugged. "I really couldn't care less. Except for being in a huge nest like that. Here, trade me spots. I wish to do your hair. After all... you're actually trying to please a guy." She stood from the stool, and forced Claire to sit down.

Claire looked over her shoulder, "What about Blaize?"

Emri began to laugh, "Oh, please! He's nothing more than an arrogant, hardheaded, fire-breathing piece of profane proglimity. What's to like? And I've only known him for... a few weeks, whereas you and Shea have grown up together." She continued snickering as she ran her fingers through Claire's red hair, clucking her tongue as she thought of styles.

Claire looked forward with a grin. "But say something happened to him. Would you be sad?"

Emri hummed, "I really don't know. We'll see, won't we? Now, onto your hair. We could do something like this where..."

Claire tuned Emri out as the latter started to rattle off about Claire's hair and the possible ways they could make it fancy. She was thinking about what Emri had just cautioned her about... it will be a challenge to win Shea's trust back. Harder than anything she's ever done before. But deep in her heart, she longed to have Shea smile at her again. This morning when she couldn't meet his eyes... it was almost like agony. She had _felt _his cold stare on her, but she couldn't look at him.

"...with some ribbon and- Claire, are you listening to me?"

"Uh huh. Sure."

* * *

--Shea--

After he had finally been able to escape the overeager townspeople, Shea went back to the house in the tree. He felt that he could find out more about his father there... after all, it had been his home. He was bound to have left something of minor importance.

He climbed up the old ladder, and found to his surprise the door already open. He took a step in and found Trace standing in the middle of the floor. He didn't seem to have noticed Shea; if he did, he was choosing to not aknowledge the fact that Shea was in the room.

Shea cleared his throat, and Trace turned around at the noise. "Rusl told me that you had been here earlier," he said.

Shea nodded, "Yeah. He also told me that... my father had been a great Hylian hero. He told me the... short version of that, and then told me to ask you for the full." Shea said quietly, before adding, "You don't have to, if it's too much of a bother."

Trace nodded and sat down on a small couch against the wall. "Before I tell you anything, you have to realize that your father's fame is only known by a few, and there are some things that you cannot comprehend or understand right now. And no interruptions. The story is long enough as it is."

Shea nodded and sat down next to Trace, and listened...

"When he was barely a newborn, Link's parents were killed in one of the wars preceding the birth of the Princess Zelda. The Goddesses had left the Triforce open, and everyone was either fighting to protect it... or take it. The times were dark, and no one could be trusted. Family's were torn apart from different beliefs and morals; villages were burned to the ground from raids of the opposing party... soon those parties split, and eventually, no one knew who was bad or good anymore. All the people of Hyrule knew how to do was fight to survive.

"The Seven Sages soon brought this unnecessary fighting to a draw when they hid away the Triforce into the Sacred Realm. For years, it remained hidden... until a boy from the forest awoke to fullfill his destiny.

"Link was had never been able to fit in with the other Kokiri children. The Kokiri are magical, woodland creatures who are all but myths to the outside world. They never grow older to seem more than ten years old, but can live for a very, very long time, so long as they do not leave their forest home. And they all had a fairy to guide them. Except Link. For seven years, he had gone without a fairy, being mocked and ridiculed by many of the Kokiri children.

"But one day, he opened his eyes and a fairy was bouncing around in his little treehouse, fashioned much like this one. The fairy told him that the guardian of the forest, the Great Deku tree, had summoned him. It was then that Link held a sword in his hand for the first time."

Trace paused, and let the first section of the story sink in to Shea, before continuing-

"The Deku tree told him of an evil that was coming to Hyrule. He said that the evil had already spread its dark fingers, and was slowly sucking the life out of the thousand year old tree. With his parting words, the tree gave Link the instructions to go find the princess of Hyrlue and a gem: The Kokiri Emerald. It was only the first of three that your father had to collect for the Princess Zelda. When he had paid his respects to the guardian that had protected him throughout his early years, he set off through the forest, the Kokiri fearing for his life that he would not survive. But they did not know that he was _not _a Kokiri, but in fact, more. A Hylian.

"He ran for three days to the Hyrule Castle Town. Then, it was only a fraction of the size it is today. But the guard was so much more effective and not so... lazy." Here, Trace scowled before continuing, "Your father had to sneak in through a break in the castle wall to reach the princess' garden. In the end, he recieved a few bumps and bruises from getting kicked out... literally. But he finally got to the Princess Zelda."

"Mom." Shea interjected. Trace nodded.

"Zelda told Link that she had seen a vision of a boy coming out of the forest, holding a shining, green jewel. She was very excited at the accuracy of her dream; afterwards, she showed him the evil that was spreading across Hyrule. His name was Ganondorf, the king of the Gerudos. The Gerudos were a tribe of only female thieves, who could kill a man quicker than the eye could blink. Every one hundred years, a man was born into their midst, and he was automatically destined to become their king-"

"Hyrule sure likes destinies, doesn't it?" Shea commented, dryly.

"Yes, but I said no interruptions," Trace frowned, "Anyway, Ganondorf was planning to take over Hyrule... for reasons Zelda was still unsure of. But she had a hunch that it had something to do with the Triforce the sages had sealed away so long ago. She asked Link if he would go out and find the remaining two gems; one in the mountains, and one in the water. She said it was important in order to get to the Triforce first.

"Link obliged, and set off. He found the Goron's Ruby after clearing the feeding grounds for the tribe of Gorons that lived in the mountains, and gained the Zora's Sapphire when he healed the Zora's guardian from an illness that was making the water impure. During the process... he had gained an unwanted love-interest, but I won't go into details.

"On his way to give the three gems to Zelda, it started to rain. Heavily. It was dark, and he knew that he would have to camp outside until the gates opened, or somehow scale the town wall. Suddenly, the gate opened, and a white horse raced out, carrying Zelda and her Sheikah caretaker. She threw something at him that landed in the moat, shortly before Link stood face to face with Ganondorf himself. The Gerudo king asked him which way the white horse had gone. Link refused to tell him, drawing his sword. The man merely laughed, and waved his hand. A wave of dark energy surged towards the boy, and it coursed throughout his veins. The hoofbeats of the dark horse and rider galloped away, leaving Link in the dust."

Trace looked at Shea from under his eyebrows. "Are you alright?"

Shea looked at Trace, unsure of what to believe, "And you mean to tell me that the boy who stood up to the Gerudo king was _my _father?" In other words, why didn't he get any of that courage?

Trace sighed, and stood. "Your father was very mature for his young age. He knew what he had to do, despite being thrust into his destiny so suddenly. Yes, he was scared to death by many of the things he faced, but did that stop him? If it would have, you and I wouldn't be sitting here having this discussion." He smiled, and put a hand on Shea's shoulder, "Besides, I think it's time to take a break. You need to go get ready for a banquet, anyway."

Shea scowled as he watched Trace walk out of the door, chuckling to himself.

* * *

"Where've you been all afternoon?" Blaize asked Shea as he walked back into the inn room. 

"Talking with Trace- What are _those?_" he pointed, horrified, at a pair of trousers that were hanging on a whicker chair.

Blaize scowled. "Those are mine... apparently, the stupid villagers want us to look _nice _for this banquet of theirs," he picked up the pants, and scoffed, "Nice, my ass. My own clothes are fine, damnit."

Shea rolled his eyes, "How much time do we have?"

"Hah! You mean _you_? I'm not wearing these if my life depended on it." Blaize went into a string of words as he shoved the clothing into the waste basket. "You've got about an hour," he flopped down on his bed, and pointed at a small box on Shea's, "they dropped yours off when you left."

Shea opened the box, and there inside lay the most expensive cloth he had ever seen. The silk was golden in color, and the sleeves had ties at the wrists, as well at the neck. Thread was ornately sewn throughout the fabric, coming into the center to form the Hylian phoenix and Triforce with light, golden thread. He picked up the tunic, and he marveled at how the material felt like it could drip through his fingers; like liquid.

Blaize turned his head, and his expression read, _What the hell is up with that?_

"I have to thank them for this... when I figure out who made it." Shea muttered to himself as he laid the tunic on his bed. Inside the box was a dark mahogany colored belt (which was equally as ornate), and the pants weren't so different from the current ones he was wearing... except they were much nicer.

But what marveled Shea the most, besides the shirt, were the boots. The brown leather felt like a mouse's fur, they had stamped it so well. The flexibilty of the material was beyond anything Shea had ever seen. But, without the inspection, the shoes would have looked very uncomfortable. _I really have to think of a way to repay these people. _

He gathered the clothing in his hands, and walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

* * *

When the time came for Shea to leave, Blaize hadn't moved from the bed. The clothes remained in the trash bin, and the Exelian's eyes were closed. Shea made a gamble with himself that the teen would eventually get bored and come down, dressed appropriately or not. 

He looked out the window, and saw the lights and decorations the townspeople had been working on all day. He watched as they laughed, setting up the finishing touches. His heart went out to these people... after only two days, he didn't know what would happen if the Exelians hurt this place. He didn't know what he would do.

Shea turned away from the window, and looked at himself in the mirror one more time.

His violet eyes were the most prominent thing about him. The golden glow from the shirt cast into his already blonde hair, illuminating his face, making his eyes shine. He looked like a prince out of the fairytales mothers read to their children.

_Well, in a way, I am a prince. If my mother is the ruler of Hyrule, then I am of royal descent. But I am also a demi-god. So, put two and two together, what does that make? _Shea sighed. He still found it almost impossible to grasp the concept that an entire kingdom was depending on him to get to Hyrule safely... and he was almost there.

"One more night. And then we'll be in Hyrule." He whispered to himself as he walked out of the room.

He was almost to the stairs when Emri interrupted him with a shout. He turned around, and raised his eyebrows in surprise. The rogueish girl had always held a natural beauty to her, but when she looked like she was floating in a baby-blue gown, brown hair curling around her face in whisps, Shea wasn't sure he could recognize her.

"-Shea. Shea!" Emri slapped the boy's face a couple of times. "It's still me. Emri!"

Shea shook his head and looked her over again, "Wow, Emri." He was able to sputter out.

Emri grinned, pulling a little of the skirts up, examining the blue shoes, "I'm glad that you're stunned, at least. I really wasn't sure, but Claire insisted. Anyways- where's Blaize?"

"Sleeping." Shea deadpanned, "He refused to put the clothes he was given on."

Emri snorted through her nose. "Pig. Oh, and by the way... you look very regal. Gold really is your color."

Shea scratched his head, "Um. Thanks?"

Emri laughed and grabbed Shea's arm, giving him a slight pull before letting go, "And I'm glad you decided to do something about that mop on the top of your head. I think it looks better in a ponytail, actually. Now, lets go! Claire'll be down in a second. She's just finishing up with her hair."

There was a pang in his chest at the mention of Claire, but Shea shrugged it off. He saw Emri look at him out of the corner of her grey eyes, silently telling him that she had sensed that little bit of emotion.

Emri opened the inn doors, walking out with Shea slightly behind her. Shea felt the eyes of all the villagers fall on him, and he wanted to hunch over and slip away. But he kept his head high, giving smiles as he followed Emri when appropriate. He heard whispers of, "Oh, he looks like Rhairu himself," and "See how the gold reflects in his eyes? He's very handsome," and what made Shea's chest wind up was, "So much like his father."

Of course, Emri got her share of praise.

"The blue really compliments her eyes. Where's that Blaize fellow? He should be on the arm of this young woman."

Shea saw Emri stiffen when she heard this, but shook it off quickly.

Standing over with Trace, was Rusl. Shea jogged over to the two, "Hey. Rusl... do you know who-"

"My wife stayed up all night working on it. She said that no thanks was needed." Rusl smiled down at Shea before he looked over by the inn door, and whistled.

Shea turned around, and his heart fluttered.

Claire walked out of the inn in a very simple, dark green dress, but there was a layer in the back that cascaded to the ground. Thread woven into beads had been embroidered along the hem, waist, neck, and sleeves. On Claire's neck, was a green satin choker. Her own green eyes were only enhanced by the dress color.

Shea was speechless as Claire slowly walked up to him, and smiled. "Hi, Shea." She said, almost nervously.

Trace and Rusl's faces spread out into two, knowing grins and slowly slipped away.

Shea didn't seem to notice; he was too busy gaping at Claire. "...um..." he felt his face grow warm. But then the unwanted image of her kissing Blaize veiled his vision. He cleared his throat, "You look nice."

Claire looked down, "Shea, I'm really sorry. I didn't know that you would get so mad... I've never seen you so angry. I only kissed him to get you to..." she trailed off, embarrased that her reason was so pathetic.

Shea remained impassive. His eyes flicked briefly over to the source of the soft music that was suddenly being played, but he ignored it.

Claire sighed, dejected, and turned to go talk with the excited Ordon children.

"Psst!" Emri hissed in Shea's ear, the latter starting at the noise, "It's the first dance! You're supposed to go ask Claire to dance with you!" She whispered sharply.

Shea raised an eyebrow, "W-what?"

"You know... dance with her."

"...what if I don't-"

"You don't know how!?" Emri's jaw dropped, and she smacked her forhead with her palm. "Listen... it's easy. Here." She grabbed Shea's hands, and put one on the small of her back (much to the surprise of the teen she was teaching), and took the other in her own hand. "It's just step to the right, now back with your left, and forward again with your right. See? Easy. Soon you won't have to think about it." Emri released Shea's hand, and smiled, giving him a shove towards Claire... right as the song ended.

Emri only shoved him towards Claire again, "There are more! Just go!"

Shea bit his tongue, and took a breath. "Claire?" He asked softly. The girl turned around, surprised at first but then her face fell into formality. Shea held out his hand, and asked her, "Would you like to dance?" A soft string instrament sang through the quiet air, an interlude to the next song.

Claire stared at Shea's hand, and she gingerly took it. Shea's mouth upturned into a warm smile as he led Claire into the midst of a small group of dancers.

_Step right, back, left... right, back, left... _Shea's mind subconciously went into auto-mode, and as Emri promised, the motions became second nature.

Claire hadn't looked up at him, not directly, at least. She muttered, "When did you learn to dance?"

"Emri just taught me." Shea admitted.

Claire grinned, before murmering, "You look... well, it's..." she stammered, before sighing, "you glow."

Shea looked at her, confused, but decided to let it go. "Listen, Claire. I was a jerk, earlier, to not listen to you. I know that it was a mistake. My own behavior wasn't mature and if there's anything I can do to-"

"You're forgiven." Claire laughed, "Don't push yourself to be so formal."

Out of the corner of his eye, Shea noticed Blaize and Emri dancing, locked in a heated discussion... or more likely, an argument. Blaize didn't look to happy to be locking hands with Emri, first of all, and the fact that he was dancing with her was enough to put him into an even worse mood. Claire looked at where Shea was looking, and she snorted, which turned into a small laugh.

The song ended, and they released. Shea didn't know what to do, so he copied what everyone else did, and made a stiff bow. Apparently, Claire also copied everyone else and dipped into a graceful curtsy. The faint sound of Blaize and Emri still bickering about Goddesses know what was the only sound as they made their way over to the food table.

"C'mon, Shea. I'm hungry."

Unexpectedly, Shea was pulled forward by Claire, who had taken the initiative of taking his hand. Shea blinked as he stumbled slightly... he was very confused. _Brain overload..._ "Um... right."

"-just the mere _fact _that you have no clue what you're doing on the dance floor should just end this discussion! I'll prove it to you at the next song, you dimwit." Emri seemed to be finishing a very long lecture that was putting Blaize to sleep as Claire dragged poor Shea by the hand.

Blaize waved Emri off and grabbed a small biscuit and popped it into his mouth. "As far as I remember," he said, still chewing, "you weren't exactly Miss Graceful, either."

"Don't talk with your mouth full!"

"What're gonna do about it?" Blaize sneered and ate another biscuit.

"I'm gonna slap you, that's what!" Emri growled, crossing her arms and looking away, "It's very improper."

"I don't give a damn for what's proper or not."

Shea frowned, exhaling almost tiredly, "Quit arguing like little children. For one night, at least?"

Emri glared at Blaize from the corner of her eye; Blaize was examining a distant object with great interest.

There was a little tug on his tunic, and Shea looked down. A girl, probably around eight or so, was looking up timidly at him. "Um, sir? My sister wanted to know if you would ask her to dance."

There was a high-pitched scream of embarrasment. Apparently, the little girl wasn't supposed to tell... but Shea smiled, getting down on one knee, "Sure." He watched the little girl run off to go calm down her swooning, older sister. Shea looked at Claire, who shrugged. She was, in fact, grinning with great amusement.

"Go make her faint."

* * *

Later that night, Shea and Claire were walking along the water's edge of the river. The stars overhead were uncovered by any clouds, and the crescent moon was beginning it's descent back around the world once again. The night breeze danced leaves across the ground, and made flowers and grass bend gently.

"-and that's how I came to kiss Blaize." Claire finished; Shea had asked exactly how and why she kissed Blaize in the first place. And now he got the story...

He started to laugh. "All to get me jealous? Really, Claire. I would have expected something more devious from you."

Claire frowned, and nudged Shea with her elbow. "Hey, it worked, didn't it?"

"Yeah," Shea grinned at Claire, "it did."

Out of no where, Claire hugged him.

Shea blinked, before slowly putting his arms around her. He laid his head on hers, and closed his eyes... triforces on their left hands glowing dimly.

* * *

**_I don't like that new style of logging in... it bothers me. Anyways, WHEW! -wipes brow- That was a long chapter. The first real SheaxClaire moment, I hope some of you are satisfied . _**

**_After this chapter, don't be expecting anything amazing, or anything quick. Because I was hitting some serious writer's walls. Not blocks. Walls. Thanks for the support, and happy holidays (eventually)!_**


	25. At the Crossroads

**_The majority of all of this was written in the few moments I have before I leave for school. For two weeks I've been working on his particular chapter. This is the December Christmas present to all of you. Because I probably won't be able to work on this during christmas break. So, enjoy! And merry Christmas and happy new year!_**

**_Shinjiru Kokoro_**

* * *

**Chapter 24**

"Finally!" Claire exclaimed as they left Ordon, and the crowd of waving villagers, "We're finally off again! I mean, not that I didn't like Ordon, or anything, but under the circumstances we were there way too long."

Emri snickered, "Claire, you're rambling."

"Am I? I'm just so _excited._"

Shea smiled and kept his thought to himself when he heard his name called. Turning, no other than Collin was jogging towards him, holding some sort of an object in his hands. "My dad wanted you to have this," he started, "he said he was sorry he couldn't make it to see you guys off."

Shea shook his head and readjusted the sheath clasp that layed across his chest. "It's not far from here to Hyrule, so if we could keep the fighting to a minimum, it would really help in settling my nerves." He aimed this statement at Emri and Blaize.

"What're you nervous about?" Blaize smirked.

"Exelians. They could be waiting to ambush us along any path."

Trace looked between the two, and nodded, "Shea's right. We're going to have to be on our highest guard."

Emri saluted here, "Leave it to me." At the strange look she got from Blaize, she added, "I can see the future, remember?"

"That'll come in handy," Trace commented, "but the Exelians also have seers that can block your own sight, alter it to their advantage."

Emri waved it off, sputtering nonchalantly, "I've never been blocked before. I know what I'm doing."

As they took step on the forest path, Shea couldn't help but to feel that something was going to go horribly wrong.

* * *

As Claire bounced happily down the road, chatting amicably with Emri, Shea's stomach was doing doing flips. They were only hours out of Ordon, but hours closer to Hyrule. He almost wanted to run all the way there... despite the fact that it was almost a half a day's walk away. 

_We could have cut that time in half if we still had the horses_... Shea thought with remorse. He missed Arsion.

He looked over at Blaize. The Exelian walked with his hands jammed in his pockets, duel-swords crossed over his back. Ever since leaving Ordon, the Exelian had become more withdrawn... as in, not making any snide-remarks towards Emri. Nothing...

"Emri," Trace broke through Shea's thoughts, catching Emri's attention, "scan ahead for the Crossroads. I need to know how far they are."

Claire looked over her shoulder, "What's at the Crossroads?"

"The Crossroads are two diverging roads that take you to Hyrule. Either one could be blocked by Exelians, or both," Trace informed.

Emri nodded, now armed with this information, and stopped walking, Her eyes went white and she appeared to be staring straight in front of her. Shea stopped walking as well, watching with interest. This was the first time he had seen Emri's 'scanning.' His eyes flicked over to Blaize, who had the fleeting look of panic, before it was covered quickly with passiveness; so quickly, that Shea couldn't be sure if panic had been there.

Emri shuddered, and blinked. "Crossroads are all clear," she informed, "I couldn't see past there..."

But Trace wasn't listening. He was staring at Emri's left hand. Quick as a flash, he strode forward, and grasped her wrist, pulling it up to his eye-level. Emri had look of fear in her gray eyes, as Trace watched the faintest sign of light leave the girl's hand. "The Goddesses have chosen a new generation... I should have known." His mouth pulled up into a small grin as he released Emri's hand. He turned to Shea, and said in a strong tone, "Shea, I want you to concentrate very, very hard. Think about the unity you have with these three; think about the bonds you have formed with them."

Shea blinked, confused, before closing his eyes, and he slipped into memory... he remembered first meeting Claire... stumbling upon Blaize... getting captured... Blaize helping him escape... meeting up with Claire and leaving Termina... meeting Emri... her almost unnecessary scrictness... his trust in Blaize... his faith in Emri... his love for Claire...

"Oh, Goddesses!"

Shea opened his eyes, and Emri was staring at her left hand with awe, a glowing Triforce imprinted on the skin; the bottom left glowed the brightest. Claire stared at her own with confusement, and incredibility; bottom left glowing dominatly. Blaize was the only one who seemed unfazed, his own hand having the top part of the Triforce shining brightly. Cautiously, Shea looked at his own hands. Two, full triangles were glowing on the top of his hands. Looking towards Trace, he found that the man was nodding slightly, "They have chosen."

"What do you mean?" Shea asked.

"You know you're Rhairu's incarnate. These three," Trace gestured to Emri, Claire, and Blaize, "are Nayru, Farore, and Din's representatives here in the world. They hold the keys to the Triforce... and are here to protect it. I'm not surprised at the people the Goddesses chose. Emri, with her intelligence and mind-abilities, having received Nayru's triforce of Wisdom; Claire, with her constant need for adventure, gaining Farore's Courage; and Blaize... fire, brute-strength, constantly fighting with Emri... was born with Din's Power." Trace seemed to falter in explaining Power, as if he was being cautious about what he was saying.

Shea cocked his head, "So, does this mean that the ones before have lost their triforce? You told me that my father had been the holder of the Triforce of Courage, and now Claire has it. What about the other two? Wisdom and Power?"

Trace's face was impassive as he spoke, "The original holder of the Triforce of Power had been banished from this world long ago, and Din took his power away from him upon banishment. Your mother, Shea, was the original keeper of Wisdom, but now Naryu has taken that from her and given it to Emri. Same goes for Claire... it was decided upon their births."

"So, when I was born," Emri started slowly, "the princess of Hyrule lost her triforce abilites. But, I've heard rumors that she still receives prophesies from the Goddesses. How does that work?"

"That's because Her Highness is one of the Seven Sages, and she still has the ability that gave Nayru the reason to chose her in the first place: intelligence, and critical thinking." Trace informed, and looked up, "I'll explain more later. The sun is losing height, and it's best to be at the Crossroads by dusk."

* * *

"Heeyy! When's the food gonna be done? I'm starving!" Claire exclaimed, rocking back and forth on her seat. "Blaize, if there's any way possible to make the heat of that fire rise, please do so. Maybe the food'll be done if that happens." 

Blaize snorted, and leaned against a tree, not making any movement towards the flames.

As Shea poked the quail with a stick, he couldn't help but notice the wary glances Trace kept giving Blaize. His blue eyes reflected with what must be an old hatred that Shea couldn't seem to place. He looked menacing with the shadows dancing on his face, highlighting the many scars that marred it

Emri sat down next to Claire, dumping an armload of firewood on the ground. "Hey, Trace. How did you get those scars on your face, anyways?" She offered for a conversation starter, sensing the negative feelings that were in the group.

Trace looked at Emri, surprised, before answering quietly, "Protecting my family."

Emri looked down, "I remember, a day before we reached Ordon, you had said something about being torn from them. If it's not too much to ask... could you tell us how?"

Trace stared into the flames. "I lost my wife to a war about nine years ago. She left me and our son, who was barely old enough to understand that his mother wasn't coming back. Soon, the war that took her away from me came and took my son. Rogues and rebels were tearing through the land that we lived in, burning and pillaging wherever they went. I told my son to run and hide... I was left to deal with them myself. It wasn't long before I was presumed dead, lying among burning wood and landscape. I never saw my son again."

No one said anything... Shea's mind was whirling with unwanted memories. _It's almost parallel to what happened to me. I ran... and Exelians killed my father, burning everything I've known. My father has said that my mother left when I was six... that was nine years ago. Mine and Trace's lives are almost falling apart next to each other. _Shea remembered when he first saw Trace, he'd had the impossible thought that the man could be his father... but if he was, then his story would be different. The ending would be different...

"I'm sorry..." he whispered.

"What's there to be sorry for? What's past is past. We need to be looking at tomorrow, and Shea, you need to work on your swordsmanship before we take on any Exelians." Trace quickly changed the subject. He stood up, and looked at Shea expectantly; he had his hand resting on the sword hilt.

It took a minute before Shea understood what Trace wanted. His pulse increased drastically. Him? Spar against Trace? This was most certainly suicide if he agreed.

He said with defeat, and stood reluctantly. Trace tossed the golden sword at the boy, who caught it with trembling hands. "Not to put out Blaize or anything, but your sword handling won't be enough if we come up against a group of Exelians." Trace said, in a matter-of-factly tone.

Shea gave a forced, 'ha,' and threw the sheath on the ground. He was going to die...

_Clang! _Shea had raised his sword in time to meet Trace's. "Damnit! Why didn't you say anything?"

"The enemy won't wait for you," Trace released the stalemate, "you need to be ready on the moment's notice." He came at Shea again, swinging the steel blade low towards Shea's legs. Shea went low to parry, but found the opposing sword sliding towards his head. Ducking with a yelp, he rolled out of the way.

Trace lowered his weapon, "Predict what your enemy is going to do by following his feet. Watch his eyes, his entire movements. You can read their mind by reading their body language," he pointed the sword tip at Shea, "You're going to run at me, and feint." He smirked at Shea's disbelieving expression, resuming the fight once more.

_Predict? How did he know what I was going to do at that moment? _Shea thought, watching Trace's footwork. He could feel the cerulean eyes on him, analyzing every muscle movement. Shea parried Trace's sword away, and stepped back. He took the moment to look into the man's eyes. He was going to...

"Aahh!!" Shea yelled as Trace full-on ran towards him, sword raised above his head, reading to come bearing down upon the victim. Fight or flight... or flinch.Shea did the latter... stupid mistake. He squeezed his eyes shut, preparing to feel the slice of metal... but he was hit by the blunt side of the hilt on his shoulder. He fell to the ground, holding his now bruised shoulder.

"Get up," Trace growled, circling Shea like a wolfos, "Never give your opponent an opening!"

Shea stood up, shaking his right arm. He readied his stance, and watched as Trace continued circling. He noted how the man flexed his right hand... there was a slight blue gleam, but Shea couldn't be sure. The blue eyes were knowing, almost smirking...

He pushed off of his left foot, running towards Trace, preparing to swing his sword up. Trace wasn't blocking... he was only watching. Shea smiled, and yelled as he swung upwards.

Crashing metal rang in the night sky, as the two attacked, parried, and jumped away from each other. When Trace would move, Shea would follow... only to be met by the man's hilt. With every mistake, Trace would give Shea a lesson in what he did wrong. If the boy repeated the mistake, it only made Trace spar harder and more fervently. Which made Shea very, very irate.

Shea felt like he was being torn apart... his arms felt like they were filled with lead, and his legs felt like paste. He was going to be covered in bruises tomorrow, and he didn't know if he was going to be able to walk...

Blocking Trace's side-swing, Shea blinked when the man was suddenly gone in a flash of green. His arms were yanked behind him, and Trace forced Shea to the ground. On his back, Shea felt the cold tip of Trace's sword on his neck. He stared into Trace's blue eyes, breathing heavily.

"The most important thing you will ever learn is taught right now: Your enemy will not show mercy." He whispered, removing the sword from the lethal position it was in, and stood up, holding his hand out for the clearly shaken boy. "Do you wish to continue, or shall we stop?" He smiled, pulling Shea up to standing position, "Continue? Fine with me."

Shea groaned as he raised his sword to block once more. He shuffled his feet with every parry, trying to put some space between him and Trace.

A half an hour passed of clanging metal, and grunts of effort from Shea. Trace was starting to wear, but he could go on for hours, it occured to Shea. He took a deep breath, ready to end this, for the better or worse, in one more move. He ran towards the waiting Trace, preparing to swing from the ground up. Trace only watched with an impassive expression, before he slammed the ground with his fist.

The sword was met by a blue force of some sort. The sound it made was a clear, bell-like ringing... and Trace was inside. "Watch for magic. Shimmers, gleams, glares, or sparks are signs of magic," he rolled his shoulders nonchalantly, "You do know what this is, right?"

Shea, thoroughly discouraged and exhausted, lowered his sword, shaking his head.

"This is Nayru's Love. Only those who have had connections with the Goddesses themselves have fragments of their power. There are others, such as Din's Fire, and Farore's Wind. They are the most powerful magic you will come across... and many people know how to use them. Din's Fire is the only offensive magic that the Goddesses gave to mortals, but Nayru's Love is just as effective. Farore's Wind is a teleportation magic, allowing the user to teleport wherever they wish, costing only a small amount of energy." Now, Trace seemed to have a change of mood... as his mouth upturned into a malicious grin. "You better start running."

"...damn you, Trace."


	26. First Kiss

**_Because I'm nice like this, I've decided to put together a minor music playlist for all of you active readers. It's got character themes, and moment themes... and just random songs that I think fit the story this far. _**

_**All the songs belong to their respective artists and lyricists: **Taking Over Me (Evanescence), Boulavard of Broken Dreams (Green Day), Once in Every Lifetime (Jem), My Destiny (Katharine McPhee), Shadow of the Day and What I've Done (Linkin Park), First Time (Lifehouse), Stop and Stare (OneRepublic), Stand/Here/What Hurts the Most (Rascal Flatts), No Reason (Sum 41), Beauty from Pain (Superchick) and of course, all the LoZ themes you can think of. _

* * *

Chapter 25 

By the time Trace woke everyone up, Shea had decided that the man should die a slow and horrible death. His muscles felt like they had stiffened and froze during the night, thus when Shea tried to move them... it hurt worse than when he had broken his ribcage. As he sat up, the muscles in his core screamed with the effort; Trace seemed to only grin at the wincing on the boy's face.

He looked at his shoulder, pulling up the sleeve of his shirt. There lay a nasty green bruise, no doubt from the constant bashing it received from the match the night before. But the injury spread from the top of his shoulder down to his shoulder. As Trace walked by, he glared up at the man. This caused Trace to start laughing.

Shea stood up, ignoring the groaning pain in his legs, and walked over to where a stream meandered by. Kneeling, he stared at the clear water before splashing it on his face-

"_Good morning!!_" Claire screamed as she tackled Shea from behind. Shea yelled with surprise at the sudden attack, also with a mixture of pain, as he and Claire fell into the water.

With a splash, the water erupted into a cold wave around them. Shea found himself dangerously close to Claire, who had ended up straddling his torso. He felt his cheeks grow very warm as Claire's own face turned red.

"G-good morning to you too..." Shea stammered.

Claire grinned a stiff grin. She almost looked like she was wrestling with a thought that was circulating through her head, before standing.

Shea realized how cold the water was, and leaped onto the shore, shivering, giving Claire a cold stare.

Emri stretched, and yawned. She had slight shadows under her eyes, and her shoulders slumped as she rolled up her mat. Obviously, the empath hadn't slept well that night, adding onto the soreness of carrying the pack all day since leaving Ordon. She struggled with the strap; she muttered oaths and curses under her breath. When everything was set, she looked at the pile that she was to carry with disdain, shoulder's falling.

Blaize kicked dirt over the still smoldering coals, and shouldered his own load. He took one look at Emri's discouragement, and refrained from an exhasperated sigh, picking up the girl's things and slinging them over his other shoulder. Emri stared at Blaize with surprise, before her face softened into gratitude. Not a snide remark was exchanged during the transaction.

Trace nodded, once everything and everyone was set, before looking at Emri, "What did you dream last night?"

Emri groaned, "A lot of things, it hurts my head to think about it. First off, I saw us at our current location, going off on the left fork in the road. The vision skipped ahead of us, to show that the left fork was where the Exelians were planning to ambush us. So, the right fork is the right road-" here, Blaize snorted at the accidental pun-"and is the way we need to go. Both roads will take us to Hyrule, and come out in the same general area... just they give enough distance for us to safely traverse around the Exelians without them noticing us." Emri shook her head, "And the rest is just jumbled together. I couldn't make much sense out of it."

Trace's eyebrows came together with concern, "I might be able to. Tell me what you can."

"Well," Emri took a shuddering breath, "I saw fire. Lots of it. And then lightning. There were screams of agony, and someone was crying.I heard myself saying very nasty things about someone, but I never mentioned who. There was a lot of heartbreak... the feeling of it was overwhelming," she closed her eyes, "That's all I remember."

Trace was tapping his foot, arms folded and staring at the ground. He looked like he was rolling the information around in his head, trying to make any sense of the dream. "You're right. There's no order to it. At all," he sighed, and adjusted his cloak, "Let's get going then. No use waiting around here for a sudden epiphany."

* * *

The group had never been this silent during the entire journey. And it was bothering Shea. Normally, Emri and Blaize would be bickering about any litting thing. Now... it sounded like a funeral march. Silent. 

"Hey, Blaize." Claire broke the silence. The Exelian looked over his shoulder.

"Hm?"

"I've been thinking. What caused you to come down from the room on our last night in Ordon? Shea had said you had no interest in the party."

Now, Emri was looking at Blaize, inquiringly.

"I was bored. That's all." Blaize said, voice gaining a monotone ring to it. "And I got hungry."

Claire nodded, looking thoughtful, and let the subject drop.

"Hey, guys," Emri started, as the group neared a deep pond, "I'm going to go fill up my water skin. I'll catch up in a min-"

Suddenly, there was a scream and a _thud_. Shea whirled, hand on his sword, looking towards the source of the commotion. He snorted... which led to laughter.

"_Walking fish!_" Emri screamed, wrestling with what looked like an adult Zora. He had the same almond shaped eyes and sharpened face as...

"Radek! Let her go." Another zora climbed out of the water. Her eyes were also black, but her head was adorned with gold and blue gems.

The zora that had tackled Emri looked at the other, and stood up, sniffing. Shea couldn't believe his eyes. Only a few days ago, Radek had been a child! Now.. he seemed like he was an adult zora. To be perfectly blunt, it had Shea baffled.

"Radek?" Emri squeaked, still shaken from the ambush, "But, how did... you are... _huh?_" And Emri didn't seem too pleased to be meeting up with her choice of a fiancee.

Radek looked at Emri, and grinned, "Am I not worthy to be your husband?" His voice had deepened considerably...

The female looked at Radek with disapproving eyes, "Radek, mind your tongue." She looked at the teenagers with a wry grin, "You probably remember my son, Radek?" She was looking at Emri, specifically.

"Yeah, when he was eleven!" Claire snapped, "I'm a little freaked out here."

The zora laughed; light and bubbly, "Zora children mature much faster than other races, but their growth receeds when they reach four years, or sixteen, in your age terms, to about normal," at the incredulous looks she was getting, the zora laughed again, "Hyrule's waters need constant protection, especially in these dark days. It is us that keep the waters clean and pure," she looked at Radek, "Radek's not completely matured to slowing ages yet, but a few more weeks should be about right."

"Excuse me, but..." Emri butted in, "who are you? Not to seem rude or anything."

"She is Ruto, princess of the Zoras. She had an older sister, but she passed away some time ago. Now her son, Ralis, rules the Zoras with a firm hand. Radek, apparently, is Ralis' cousin." Trace explained.

Radek puffed out his chest in pride.

Ruto sighed, "Yes, my son is next in line for the Zora throne, in the worst scenario should Ralis die or become seriously ill. Anyways, _Trace!_" She exclaime suddenly, "Long time no see!" The fish-woman bounded forward with un-princess like grace and threw her arms around Trace in a huge hug. Shea saw Emri shudder...

"Scales..." she hissed under her breath.

As Ruto and Trace fell into deep conversation, Radek looked at Emri, and smiled. "Even cuter since last time."

"Radek, just a question: What are you doing in this area?" Shea intervened before things got ugly. Again.

"Mom and I were scouting. We're supposed to report to Her Highness about your whereabouts." The zora prince shrugged nonchalantly, "Apparently, her visions are being cut short by an outside force. Most likely Exelians; and her other seers aren't getting good sights either."

"So, you're meaning to say that Zelda's visions aren't reaching us?"

"Exactly."

Shea's eyebrows furrowed, and he turned to Emri. "Emri, can you..."

"I'm on it." The girl stiffened and her eyes turned blank.

"A seer as well," Radek muttered approvingly.

"Hey," Blaize snapped, "watch it."

"Are you her new boyfriend?" Radek glared, snarling, eyes glancing towards Shea with a renewed distaste.

Blaize reeled for a response, "Um... well... erm... you see... _no!_"

Emri shuddered and looked at Shea, "The way's clear. We're still good to go on this road."

As Radek was about to say something, Blaize suddenly put an arm around Emri's shoulder, hugging her close to his side. It was obvious that Emri wasn't comfortable with this.

Radek was just as surprised. "Wait, I thought you just said you weren't together!"

"Well, now we are!" Blaize contradicted, locking the squirming Emri in a firm hold. Somehow, he had managed to slip his hand over her mouth.

Radek blinked, analyzing the situation. "It seems to me-"

"We. Are. To_gether_. Now beat it." Blaize growled.

To save him from a sure fistfight, Radek's mother called from over near the pond bank. "Radek, time to go. Her Highness is expecting our report!"

The zora looked once again at Emri, glaring at Blaize, completely forgetting Shea and Claire, before turning on his heel defiantly, and took a running leap into the water. He and Ruto weren't seen after that.

Emri was finally able to burst free from Blaize's death-grip, and with a gasp she cried, "What the _devil _were you thinking?! You had no right to... you've infected me with your pompous self! How dare-"

"I just saved you from an impending doom called marriage. Now shut up." Blaize deadpanned, walking forward... dumping Emri's pack in the dirt. The expression plastered on Emri's face was wordless. Blaize, however, was smirking.

"Ungrateful little... selfish, pigheaded..." Emri muttered as he picked up her things, slinging the pack over her shoulder, "... arrogant, conceited, worthless..."

It was amazing how fast the two changed moods! Shea could only shake his head and worry if they'll survive the next five minutes.

"Come on, we're wasting time." Trace called over his shoulder. Shea could see that he was desperately trying not to laugh at the previous going-ons.

The butterflies were once again awakened inside Shea's stomach. They were so close... everything he'd been working for... he was almost there.

"Trace, how long?" Shea couldn't help but ask."How much longer of a walk?"

"We should be there in an hour, or so," the man looked over his shoulder as Shea, "I'm guessing that you are anxious?"

Shea nodded, before getting a quick idea. There was something that he wanted to do before reaching Hyrule... he glanced over towards Claire. How, exactly, would he carry out his plan, he didn't know. Suddenly, he felt very, very warm, and he involuntarily started to shake with unbidden nervousness.

Emri must have noticed a change in the group's average mood, because she looked around. "Shea? Are you alright?"

In fact, he must have looked like he was about to faint. Shea shook his head. For an odd reaon... he was feeling sick to his stomach.

"There's a stream nearbye. Go splash some water on his face." "Claire, help him stand, for Goddesses sake, he's about to fall!" Emri and Trace ordered simultaneously.

Blaize groaned, "Hurry it up, though."

Claire helped Shea put an arm over her shoulder, and they both walked off in the direction that Trace had pointed. Being in this close of proximity to Claire really wasn't helping matters at all... Shea grimaced.

Sure enough, a small stream meandered through. Claire and Shea knelt by, but as Claire was about to shove Shea's face into the water, he shook his head firmly, "I don't need water, Claire." He sounded so much more confident than what he felt. By a long run.

Claire frowned, "You could have saved us a trip, you know."

Shea didn't answer vocally. In fact, his response was completely subconcious. He lightly put a hand on Claire's cheek, and closed his eyes. He felt Claire's lips relax after the initial shock of what just happened. And she kissed him back.

Pulling away, Shea stared in Claire's eyes, and whispered, "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that."

Claire laughed softly, "Strangely enough, I think I do."

They both smiled, and they lightly kissed each other's lips, before standing. Claire looked at Shea with a devious glitter in her eyes, "So, being sick was all just an act? Impressive."

Shea forced a laugh, "No. I felt like fainting." He took note of how Claire's face was glowing as they walked under the scattered light of the trees; she was standing straighter than before.

And as for Shea... he felt invincible.

* * *

**_Aww! First kiss by Shea and Claire... about time too, huh? _**

**_Well, it's actually pretty amazing that I was able to get this done before I left for school. And Christmas Break. So HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE! See you all next year!_**


	27. Hyrule

**_Hah... I honestly couldn't resist writing this. My cousin actually helped me. I know I had said no more until next year... but I really, really had to get this out of me. Enjoy!_ **

* * *

**Chapter 26 **

"So, what really was it that was bothering you?" Emri asked Shea as they walked. She had the faintest smirk, "And don't you say that it was anxiety."

Shea rolled his eyes, looking at Emri with annoyance, "It _was _anxiety."

"No," she pressed, tapping the side of her head with her index finger.

_Oh… right. _Shea deflated, "Fine. It was a _form _of anxiety; but not because we're so close to Hyrule. It was Claire."

Emri looked at him, confused, before her eyes widened. Punching the air with her fist, the girl exclaimed, "Yes!" This earned her a weird over-the-shoulder look from Blaize; she childishly stuck her tongue out at him; Shea rolled his eyes once more.

"So, you finally got the nerve up to kiss her?" Emri's voice dropped to a whisper, "How'd it go?"

Balking, Shea looked at Emri with a horrified expression, "Wait… what?! What kind of question is that?!"

Emri shrugged, putting her hands up in defense, "Sorry, sorry. Just curious, is all. Hey! Claire!" And with that, she bounded off to bombard Claire with questions.

Shea licked his teeth, watching Claire throw her head back and laugh, to suddenly whispering earnestly with Emri.

"So, Emri," Claire started smoothly, "How long has this been going on?"

Emri twitched, "What?"

"You know… you and Blaize?"

Emri stopped in her tracks, head tilted downward. Her fists curled menacingly as she growled, "Apparently… in this last hour!" She whirled on Blaize, who looked oblivious to everything that was going on until Emri stomped up to him, and poked him hard in the chest, "Don't think you can do whatever the heck you want just because you're Mr. I-can-burn-this-entire-forest-down. I officially break up with you!"

Turning on her heel, Emri haughtily walked back to Claire, nose a little higher in the air in a defiant fashion. Blaize stared a second, before smirking.

"Just you wait… you'll want me back."

Emri stiffened, turning her head lazily, "I'd rather hug a dodongo."

Blaize's smirk only widened, "I do believe you have a thing for fire."

"Only if it burns," she said aloofly.

Shea was growing impatient. Tapping his foot, he watched the two with an annoyed look, "Would you two _mind _ceasing your mindless bickering? You two sound like an old married couple!"

Blaize's face went from dominant to horrified in less than a finger's snap. Emri looked like she couldn't breathe.

Claire clapped her hands, "Wow. You got them _both _to shut up."

Trace looked at the sky, and groaned silently, "If _all _of you would cease your 'mindless bickering,' then maybe we'd reach our destination in one piece."

Emri and Blaize looked at each other and made a face before walking in silence once more.

Claire was in a chipper mood, her walk holding a slight bounce in every step. She weaved in between the other four members of the group, trying to get their moods up: Emri was simmering, Blaize was brooding, and Shea was annoyed. Trace was in a similar state as the latter.

She sighed when she started to get tired. Sighing again, louder, she put her hands behind her head, "Hey, what d'you think about this idea? Chicken Chasing. The most people who catch the most in a certain amount of time wins!"

"I'm in if the cow's in." Shea drawled. Blaize shot a glare over his shoulder. And Emri only looked at the two in confusion. Looking at Blaize with a raised eyebrow, she asked-

"You're a cow?"

Blaize growled.

Trace laughed, "Claire, Chicken Chasing's already been done."

Claire lowered her head in mock disappointment, snapping her fingers, "Dangit."

Emri hummed, "Well, I think that's a good prospect after all this is over. I personally would pay good money to see a cow chasing chickens." She grinned, "Now that I think about it, Blaize has the qualities to go into the cock-fighting business."

"Hey! What's with you all? Is it National Blaize-Bashing day?" Blaize snapped.

"_Every_day," Emri said cheekily, "is Blaize-Bashing day. You make it too easy."

Shea let his head fall to his chest. He wasn't even going to attempt…

"Hey, no sulking," Blaize glared, "_you _started it."

"Thanks, Shea!" Emri snickered.

Shea saluted Emri. Claire was having trouble keeping her face straight.

"Look," Trace pointed ahead, "there's the end of the road. In about ten minutes we'll cross the border into Hyrule."

"Yes!" Claire jumped, punching the air with her fist.

"As long as we avoid any rivers, I'm happy…" Emri grumbled.

Shea prepared for a snide comment from Blaize, but he was genuinely surprised when nothing happened. He looked at the Exelian; he was walking with his hands jammed in his pockets, staring at the road.

Emri looked at Shea, and then to Blaize, her expression changing to serious. "…you want to talk about it?"

"No, I don't need to talk about anything!" Blaize snapped.

Emri raised her eyebrows and let it drop, muttering something about feeling the emotions and that Blaize was a liar.

Claire was skipping again, her ecstasy returning. "What do you think the castle itself will look like?" She asked, off-handedly.

"It'll be huge." Emri responded.

"The castle is the first thing you'll probably see upon exiting the forest, if that's your definition of huge," Trace corrected Emri.

Claire cocked her head, "Really? It's that big?"

"Hyrule is circulated around the castle town itself."

"Hmm… I'm excited!" Claire exclaimed.

Shea smiled, adjusting the strap that held his sword. He couldn't blame Claire; he was just as excited. His step gained a slight hop as he eagerly looked forwards towards the forest exit.

Emri sensed everyone's excitement –except Blaize's— and decided to spur the moment on. She skipped once, before breaking out into a run, "What's everyone waiting for? C'mon!"

Claire was the first to follow, next by Shea, then Trace broke into an easy jog. Blaize was the last to start running reluctantly.

The exit drew nearer and nearer, the nerves calmed as they were used through the energy that it took to run. Shea was feeling absolute relief… it was almost over! They were almost there!

He grinned, and ran faster. Catching up to Claire, he said, "Race you."

The green of her eyes sparkled brighter, and she replied, "Well, lets go!" She sped up, leaving Shea in the dust.

Pumping his arms harder, a memory flashed before his eyes… he saw the briefest image of Epona and Link riding in front of him, leaving him and Arsion behind… the race before his life fell apart.

…Shea tripped, and rolled, landing flat on his back. The sword-sheath was nestled uncomfortably under his spine as he stared at the leafy canopy above him.

The boy just laid there, thinking. Why? He asked himself. Why him? He had asked himself this many times over the last few months, but he never decided to think it over. And as he did so, he couldn't think up an answer, except that fact that it was completely unfair. There were thousands –no, millions—of other people out there in the world who the Goddesses could have chosen. Shea? To him, it was almost like the odds were a million to one. He didn't understand it. Even though he'd had many people –even the Messenger of Rhairu—explain it to him. He didn't understand.

"Shea?" Claire leaned over him, "Are you okay?"

"Fantastic. Never been better." Shea deadpanned.

Claire smiled and held out her hand. Shea took it, standing with Claire's help. She muttered, "You're such a clutz."

"And you're just figuring this out?"

"No, not really."

"Hey!" Emri called, cupping her hands around her mouth, "If you two lovebirds wouldn't mind… could you start running?"

"Shea tripped!" Claire yelled back.

"…Oh."

Shea frowned, "What exactly are you insinuating?"

"Just come on," Emri laughed.

Reaching the others, Shea noticed that Blaize hadn't said anything… he would have expected some remark about his amazing display of grace, but there was nothing.

Eyebrows furrowing, he asked, "Blaize, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Blaize snapped.

Emri was looking at Blaize warily, "Are you sure? You seem really… I don't know the word for it, but… anxious? Fearful? … even confused?"

"Damnit, I said I'm fine!"

Emri balked, backing away from the Exelian, "O-okay… if you say so…" she turned away slowly, keeping her eyes on him for as long as she possibly could keep her head turned.

Shea was surprised as the sudden change of mood that Blaize went through. This mood was almost frightening. He looked at Blaize out of the corner of his eye…

As they stepped into the light, Shea looked around him. The hills rolled easily, the grass was a deep green. There were dark clouds overhead, but that could easily mean rain. In the distance, he could see the spires of a tall castle; the castle that he had visited in his dreams: Hyrule.

"We're here." He whispered. Everyone seemed to be taking in the moment… their journey was almost over.

Claire came to stand by him, and took his hand. She looked up at him, and he down at her. They smiled, as she said-

"We made it."

Suddenly, Emri gasped, "Look out! Exelians!"

Sure enough, hordes upon hordes of black-armored soldiers poured out from the trees, bushes, and ditches. They all bore the same crest: fire with an upside-down triforce. The men all brandished their weapons as they circled the small group.

Shea and Trace drew their swords; Emri extended her bo-staff, and Claire raised her fists. Blaize did nothing.

The Exelians closed in on them, and the front line lowered their pikes, aiming towards the four. Only centimeters from Shea was a menacing head of the spear. His heart sped up, as his mind raced, _How? Emri's never wrong! _

Emri seemed to be having similar thoughts as she looked around wildly. She did a double take on Blaize, hissing, "What's the matter with you?! Get your act together and get your weapons out! Fire would be nice in a situation like this--"

"Emri, shut up." Blaize growled. He shot her a look that she hadn't seen before.

Emri's eyes widened, "You mean… you… you…"

Shea looked over his shoulder, looking at the two in confusion, before he heard an all-too familiar voice: "Ah, Shea. It's so good to see you again."

The Exelian King rode forward on a black horse that was covered in armor. The king rose his helmet visor, and smiled at Shea, "I see you're well."

"Cut the crap." Shea snarled.

The king laughed darkly, "And you've kept your spunk."

"Stop talking to him like you know him." Claire shot, "It's kinda creepy."

The king ignored her, as his red eyes fell on Trace, who was glaring at the king with very angry blue eyes. "Ah, I have heard about you. You must be Trace. You know, you have a very strong resemblance to the Hero of legend."

"I've been told." Trace responded dryly.

The Exelian nodded nonchalantly, and he looked at the men in front of him, flicking his hand. Three men advanced, as the king proclaimed in a broad voice, "Lower your weapons, or die."

Shea looked at his comrades: Emri wasn't going down without a fight, Claire was staring an Exelian down… but Blaize still remained weaponless, staring at the ground.

Trace looked at the king wordlessly, before sighing in defeat, dropping his sword to the ground. Emri snapped her head towards him, "Trace-"

"It's no use. We're outnumbered." Trace's normally powerful and confident voice sounded broken, "We know who they came for. He'd only die if we stood against them now." He looked at Shea, pain etched in his marred face. Shea knew that face… he'd seen that pain before…

The three Exelians that had stepped forward seized Shea by the arms, forcing him to drop his own sword. He struggled, but if he got one arm free, it was seized again. Claire rushed forward, but was restrained by another Exelian.

"Shea!" She cried, kicking at the Exelian, "Let _go _of me you slimly son of a-"

Emri was staring at Blaize, pointing at Shea, "_Do _something!" Tears shone in her gray eyes, "Prove my thoughts wrong!"

Blaize looked away. The Exelian king laughed, evilly. "You haven't figured it out yet? Blaize was working for me all along. You ever wondered where he went during the night? He would come report back to a scout, who would ride ahead to inform me," he looked at Shea, "You escaping the first time was all part of the plans that we had put together ever since Blaize met you."

Shea wasn't listening. He was staring at Blaize in disbelief. He couldn't –wouldn't—believe it. He had trusted him! Shared his thoughts… and this was how they were received. He shook his head slowly, fighting against his captors as they tightened their grip. "I hate you." He hissed, eyes hardening; Blaize's head turned a fraction of the way. The fact that he wouldn't meet Shea's eyes only confirmed it. Blaize had betrayed them.

Claire's captor let her go; she had no words to say to Blaize as she spat at his feet except these: "Go die, you son of a bitch."

The Exelian king laughed, reining his horse around, "Don't worry; Shea will be taken care of."

Blaize pushed past Emri, Claire, and Trace, following the Exelians as they moved off. He looked behind him, to see Claire being restrained by Emri. The sun was convered by the dark clouds, but he could see tears going down her face. An Exelian swore, pushing Shea forward to the last place that he wanted to go: Away.


	28. Trace's Confession

**_MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!_**

**

* * *

**

Chapter 27

"-That no good, fire-breathing, pig-headed, straight-backed, sonuva deformed dodongo that deserves to live in the lowest circles of-"

"Emri, shut up for five seconds!" Claire snapped. Emri had been insulting Blaize for the past hour, ever since he had betrayed them and the Exelians took Shea away. Claire was sure that Emri had called him every insult known to man… and even created some of her own.

Emri sat down with a huff, "I'm sorry. But I have never been this angry before. Ever." She sighed, before whirling on Trace, "_You _could have done something!"

"Emri, even you know that I could have done nothing in that situation. We were unfairly outnumbered, and they had weeks of strategic planning." Trace said without meeting Emri's eyes.

"Hmph. What I don't get is _how _they were able to ambush us."

Claire moaned, "Isn't it obvious? They were somehow able to re-direct your sight to the exact opposite of what was really going to happen. If they are strong enough to intercept the princess' visions, then they can certainly change yours."

Emri lowered her head in her hands, shaking it slowly.

Claire slapped her thigh, "And we don't even know where they're going, for Goddesses sakes!"

"Gerudo Fortress." Trace answered, still not looking up, "Long since deserted, it was the origin of the Gerudos, who are the beginnings of the Exelians. It's only right that they have their hideout there."

Claire stood up, "Well, then lets go!"

As Claire marched past him, Trace grabbed Claire's elbow, "Not so fast. The valley before is loaded with precarious traps designed to catch intruders. When you reach the fortress itself, there are so many lookouts that are not visible to the naked eye. You'd be caught before you even set foot in the building."

Claire plopped unceremoniously on the ground, sputtering oaths and words that fouled the innocence of the air.

Emri was looking at Trace suspiciously, "And, how would you know, exactly?"

"I've been there." He answered in a dull fashion.

"For what purpose?" Emri pried.

Raising an eyebrow, Trace turned to look at her, "Why are you so curious all of a sudden?"

"Why are you avoiding the question?" Emri shot back.

"Sheesh, Emri!" Claire shook her head, "You can pick an argument with anyone!"

"I'm not arguing! I'm merely inquiring." She said defensively, "I mean, have you ever wondered _how _he knows all these things? Why he was 'randomly' out and so happened to come across us?"

"Yeah, but you're treating him like some kind of criminal!"

"Well, what if he is?" Emri pursed her lips in thought, "Not a criminal, per say, but someone else… he's not telling us…"

"Now you're talking about him like he's not here!" Claire said accusingly.

Emri ignored, "Come to think of it, he has this uncanny ability to hide his mind's emotions particularly well…"

"Emri, are you even listening to me?"

"…he seems so overly protective of Shea anyways…" Emri was talking to herself now, pacing.

Claire threw her hands in the air, giving up on trying to get Emri's attention.

Emri's head snapped to look at Trace, "Now that I recall, your emotions went crazy during the Exelian ambush! More so than usual; and it wasn't adrenaline, or 'thrill of the fight,' but it was almost… parental."

Claire was intrigued; she looked between Emri and Trace as they stared each other down.

"Trace, tell me one thing: Who are you?" Emri's voice was sinister, and very demanding.

Trace didn't move, staring up at Emri defiantly. Emri stared back down at him. She had strategically backed him into a corner.

"When the Wars of Hyrule ended, I was parentless. I was left in a forest to fend for myself when my mother died. I was taken under by the forest guardian, living in the forest along with many others who were natives to the woods. I was the one who, at the tender age of seven, searched for the three stones to open the Door of Time. I was the one whom the young Princess of Hyrule trusted to keep Hyrule safe; I was the one who wielded the Ocarina of Time. I was the one who missed seven years of my life, who awakened to find my home in ruin and under tyranny's rule. I had communion with the seven sages, and through them, the Goddesses themselves. I awakened each of them. I fought with the Dark Lord Ganon; I assisted in sending him back to the Sacred Realm. I fell in love with the princess of Hyrule.

"I am the Hero of Time.

"I am Link."

* * *

There had been no rest for him… it was non-stop walking. The air was growing dryer as the grass slowly was eaten by sand that shifted with the wind. The sand caused him to slip, which brought the firm hand of an Exelian to grasp his arm tightly, and force him up once more. From his previous experience with the Exelians, he kept all of his snide remarks to himself.

At least they hadn't tied him up.

Shea trudged through the hot desert, knowing that he was getting farther and farther away from his previous destination.

He saw the back of Blaize's head; he knew it was the traitor from the way he walked.

Shea drew level with him, still surrounded by Exelians. Managing to catch Blaize's eyes, he poured all it his hatred into the connection they held.

Blaize's expression was impassive as he said, "I told you you were trusting the wrong people…"

"Go to Hell."

Blaize looked away, quickening his step.

Shea looked away, glaring at nothing.

His feet sank in the sand as he took one aching step after another.

There was a horse's whinny, and the Exelian king rode up beside him. He pointed, "There's the place of our ancestors…"

Rising out of the desert sand was a large building. Spires rose in a circular formation around the adobe structure, which melted into the backdrop of a mountain. Sand devils twisted and blew away, creating a veiled appearance in front of the fortress.

"…and where you will help us put our mark on History." The king whispered, almost sadistically when he rode off, laughing evilly.

Shea's heart pounded against his sternum. He had no idea why the Exelians wanted him so badly… but he knew that it had something to do with the world's Balance.

* * *

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. So, you're meaning to tell us that _you've _been posing as Trace so that Shea wouldn't freak out and go all blitzerky on us?" Claire shot a glare at a snickering Emri, "Yes, I said blitzerky."

Trace, or better known now as Link, sighed, "And as I've said before, yes. Shea still believes me dead, so if I had revealed myself to him during the first few days of meeting, he would have gotten very angry at me, and risk the powers of Rhairu escaping. I don't know the extent of those powers, but-"

"He _is _a demi-god." Emri interrupted.

Claire huffed, "Well, this makes me look at you in a whole new way."

Emri waved Claire's comment to Link away, "So, what do we do now? We're going to get Shea back, right?"

Link stood, looking towards the direction that the Exelians went, "First, we need to tell Zelda what has happened. Her sight isn't reaching all the way out here anymore. And then, we go find Shea."

"Wait… we're going to Hyrule Castle?" Emri's eyes lit up, whereas Claire frowned-

"I thought our first priority was to get Shea!"

"It is," Link agreed, "But it's too dangerous right now to follow them. They'd be expecting us; it's better to attack when their defenses are weaker."

"Claire, if I were you… I'd trust the legendary swordsman rather than your own instincts." Emri whispered in Claire's ear. The girl harrumphed and stuck out her lower lip.

"Whatever happened to the element of surprise?" she argued her cause.

"That would work with a single person; that's how I was able to breach the fortress in the first place. But with three people… it's almost impossible. Larger numbers are better in this case. _That's _why we need to go to Hyrule, get a platoon or so of soldiers, and then attack."

Claire nodded reluctantly, "Fine."

* * *

Despite the outside desert heat, the inside of the fortress was as cold as hell. Although, as Shea thought about it, the statement about Hell was almost cliché. Hell was normally described as hot, fiery, and dark. But then again, it was also described as cold. So, which was right? Hot or cold? Maybe, it was so cold, it burned.

Yes, that was it.

What a random thought… but, since he was stuck in this "hell"-hole, he was doomed to have many more random thoughts.

Shea rattled the chain on his wrist. It clanked noisily in the empty cell. He remembered being in a similar situation. Except, there was no 'signal' to listen for, or any explosion that would distract the Exelians so he could get out.

Leaning against the wall, he turned his head lazily towards the echoing sound of a door opening. There were heavy footsteps coming his way.

Well, it was none other than the Devil.

He laughed, seeing Shea in such a demoted state, "I hope you find your new quarters… comfortable."

"Couldn't be better." Shea drawled, sarcasm dripping from his tongue like acid. "Now, if you could answer a few questions for me, I'd really appreciate it." He shot at the Exelian king.

The king gave his consent.

"What exactly do you want with me?"

"Ah, the most anticipated question. You see, Blaize holds the Triforce of Power. We'd known since he showed extraordinary abilities when he was younger. You see… when he was eight, he was… provoked into using his powers, setting his house on fire. In the process, his family was killed. Good riddance; they were causing trouble. They didn't quite agree with what our ancestors' teachings and legacies-"

"So you used their own _son _to get rid of them?" Shea interrupted, looking at the king with disgust. "And I'm sure that Blaize doesn't know."

"Yes, yes. We had ways to bring him to anger; and in doing so, caused the use of abilities that were given to him by Ganondorf himself. Blaize is a direct descendant of Ganondorf; he and many others are marked by birthmarks on their faces.

"Blaize ran, in a daze, and he met you. He came back telling us what happened. We passed it off as an accident, and told him we had ways of controlling it. Ever since then, we'd been teaching him how to control the outbursts of the inferno that was inside of him.

"When we learned of you, Rhairu's demi-god, we put our scholars and magicians to work, finding all we can about Rhairu; we learned that with him, we could alter the Balance of Power, Wisdom, and Courage to our advantage. This changed our plans for the takeover of Hyrule drastically… for the better."

Shea scowled, "So, I'm only a tool in your 'world-changing' plans?"

When he didn't get an answer, Shea looked away, "You're sick."

The Exelian smirked, "Did I answer your question?"

"Perfectly."


	29. Turmoil

**Chapter 28**

"Can a town get _any _more crowded?" Claire growled as she pushed past a crowd of people. She looked around, "Emri? Emri? _Emri!_"

"Oh, shut up! I'm right here." Emri grabbed the frantic girl by the shoulder. Claire jumped, smacking Emri on the cheek, before blushing sheepishly.

"Oh."

"… obviously, you've never been to a city," Emri grumbled, rubbing her cheek.

"Hey! I grew up in a small village on the border of Termina that really isn't close to a city, or any other claustrophobic spaces."

"Well, just don't freak out anymore. You'll draw attention to yourself." Emri patted Claire on the shoulder and pushed ahead, looking for Link.

Claire blinked before exclaiming, "_Hey!_ Don't leave me!" She followed Emri, who started to laugh.

Link ignored the girls as he maneuvered through the crowd. A few people recognized him and waved in greeting. He ignored these too.

They reached the center of the city; a fountain spilled in the middle, and people laughed, talked, and gossiped about anything and everything. But that was only a select few. The majority of the Hylians looked tattered, and impoverished. They were huddled in corners, begging the richer population for a rupee or two.

Link turned and looked at the two girls, "You two stay out here. I'm going to go find an old friend of mine. Remember: _Stay here._" And he disappeared into a store.

"You know," Claire started, "I expected Hyrule to be more… colorful?"

"They're in the middle of a war, you numnuts." Emri whispered back.

"Oh, I know. But I think we hammed it up too much."

"We kind of did." Emri had to agree.

A group of kids ran past, laughing while chased by a matted dog who was barking happily. Immediately, the mood in the whole square brightened as the happy children ran past.

"At least they have a good outlook…" Emri shrugged, walking forward towards the water fountain. "Hey, Claire… look." She pointed up.

Claire raised her head, and it fell backwards as he peered towards the sky. The castle spires rose to the heavens, black against the noonday sun. "Emri… I sure hope we don't have to climb stairs all the way up there."

"We probably will."

"…ergh." Claire grumbled as she sat on the fountain ledge. "I don't know if I can handle walking anymore. Seriously, ever since we lost the horses it's been nothing but walk walk walk walk walk."

Emri grinned, "Well, on the brightside of it all, you'll have some pretty nice legs if you go up and down the castle stairs every day."

Claire weighed that around in her head.

Emri sat next to Claire, and rolled her head, "I don't know about you, but I'm almost relieved to finally being able to sleep in a bed tonight. The ground was getting a bit redundant."

Claire nodded slowly, jumping as Link appeared in front of them. It marveled her how the man could be so quiet about everything.

"We all set?" Claire asked. Link nodded, and started walking, not waiting for Claire or Emri.

The two girls jumped up, and had to jog to keep up with him. Claire came up to his side, and asked, "What were you doing in that store, anyways?"

"I was just catching up with an old friend." Link answered, quickening his step.

Claire raised an eyebrow, "You seem eager to reach the castle." She grinned a bit.

Link looked down through the corner of his eye at Claire, but didn't respond.

Emri hit Claire on her arm, and gave her a look.

The three came to a large, wooden gate. Link seemed to hesitate here, eyes getting a cloudy look to them before they regained their sharpness. Throwing the excess of his cloak over his shoulder, Link pressed his side into the gate. The door groaned as it opened.

"And how old are you?" Claire scoffed as she passed through the gate. She snickered when Link shot her a glare.

Emri leaned over and whispered in Claire's ear, "It would seem that you had once gotten on his nerves before all this happened."

"On more than one occasion!" Claire whispered back with pride.

Now inside of the gate, there was a bridge that led to yet another gate, but this one was guarded heavily. As Link and the two girls approached, one of the guards stepped forward.

"Halt! Who goes?"

"Trace of Ordon." Link answered with a confident voice.

The solider walked forward, and began conversing with Link in a language that Emri or Claire didn't understand.

Claire leaned over, "What are they saying?"

Emri shrugged, "I don't know, but it's in the Ancient Language."

"I wonder why Link didn't use his real name."

"It's an alias. He probably uses it to get into high security places like this."

The soldier looked at Emri and Claire, gesturing to them, still speaking to Link. Link responded, holding up his left hand. The soldier's face dawned with a new awe as he looked at the two girls.

"Promise you won't tell anyone. It is Her Highness' duty to announce these things."

"Of course, Trace. May the Goddesses be with you." The soldier saluted and called out to the other soldiers in the other language. Immediately, the metal gate opened slowly.

Claire took a deep breath, and continued forward, following Link and Emri. She remembered how it had once been her, Shea, and Blaize, dreaming together to reach this place… she lightly put her fingers to her lips. _Shea…_ _Hold on. _

* * *

"Her Highness is out on business for today. She should be back by evening tonight." A steward informed the group. Claire scowled-

"You mean we _walked _over who knows how many miles to find an empty castle?!"

Link winced inwardly, ignoring Claire's outburst. "Thank you. Will you inform me the moment she returns? It's urgent."

The steward kept his straight face, "Everything's urgent with you, Trace. But of course." He inclined his head. Link returned the gesture.

As the steward walked away, Emri shot Claire a look, "Have you no manners? That man was a stand-in for the princess!"

Claire's face turned red with embarrassment, "Sorry!" She whispered to no one, before looking around, "So, now what?"

Emri flexed her fingers, "Link, where's the library?"

"South wing, that way."

Emri walked briskly away, eyes lighting up.

Claire tapped her foot, and looked around before sighing, "I'm going back outside."

She didn't wait for Link's 'okay,' and turned to walk right back through the way they had come in. She had seen some very interesting groves of trees that reminded her of home, and she wished to explore them.

She looked up into the canopy of trees, remembering back in Termina. She spent her days when she had either gotten Shea grounded, or just wanted to be alone up in trees. She remembered their hideaway—in a grove of trees.

Expertly, she swung her legs up around a branch, pulling herself onto it. The palms of her hands stung a bit, but she ignored it.

Deciding that this was a good branch to sit on, Claire leaned against the trunk, closing her eyes. There was a slight breeze; it rustled her hair only the littlest bit. But it felt refreshing.

Opening her eyes, she saw a column of smoke off in the horizon. She frowned at the prospect of who might have caused it.

Really, she didn't understand the thinking of the Exelians; as far as she'd heard, it was disturbing and rash.

Her thoughts immediately turned to Blaize… which caused her to think nasty and vulgar things about him.

This was another thing she didn't understand. Why would he lie to them, first off, and then hand someone that trusted him over to the enemy? Claire almost thought it selfish. It _was _selfish.

Closing her eyes again, she sighed in despair. Her mind was in turmoil… the Exelians were liars… that's how she knew that Shea wouldn't be taken care of.

* * *

--Blaize--

He knew that he should be feeling remorse, and regret. He knew he should be feeling the heroic urge to go break Shea out and escape.

But he didn't.

Besides, Shea wouldn't trust him, even if he did make the attempt to help him out. He had broken all the trust that Shea had ever formed with him.

Blaize shook his head. He couldn't think of that now. He had completed what he was supposed to accomplish; that was all that mattered. It was the first step in order for the world to change.

He laid down on his bunk, staring up at the ceiling. But why did he feel… uncomfortable? He felt edgy, and restless. If this was supposed to be right… then why did it all feel so wrong?

Bringing his left hand up in front of his face, Blaize saw the imprint of the Triforce in his mind's eye. Emri and Claire had them too…

Rolling over, he tried to escape the burning image of their faces. Especially Emri's. He didn't know why he let her reaction bother him so much.

"…Damn."


	30. Pain

Chapter 29 

Claire bounced on her toes. Emri had come running to wake her up, pull her down out of the tree, with the news that the princess was back and Link was waiting for them. Now that she was awake, she was impatient.

Shooting a glare at Emri, she looked around. She marveled at how high the ceilings were; she noted that she was marveling at a lot of things, lately.

Claire was torn from her 'marveling' when the doors opened. A group followed a frazzled looking woman, who didn't seem to notice anything around her as she whirled, telling the group off in a crisp tone.

Claire had to admit; the princess was very pretty, with very fair skin and golden hair that flowed in soft curls.

And then she remembered: This was Shea's mother. She remembered now; back in Termina. It was funny how the mind worked…

Zelda turned around, and looked at the trio. Her eyebrows furrowed together as she seemed to count and recount, and then count again. "…Where's Shea?" She looked at Link, worriedly. She looked from Emri, to Claire, and then back to Link as their faces fell. "Trace?"

Link slowly drew a breath, "As we crossed the border, we were ambushed by Exelians-" Emri muttered something under her breath- "and learned that one of our group members had double-crossed us. The Exelians took Shea."

"Good job; very blunt." Claire muttered.

Zelda closed her eyes, and ran a hand through her hair. She cleared her throat before speaking, "So the Exelians have Shea. They have Rhairu's demi-god. This is exactly what shouldn't be happening. He was supposed to be here with you three, safe, and out of harm's way…" her voice broke, and she put her hands over her eyes, breathing rapidly.

Link stepped forward, and took the princess by her shoulders. He seemed to forget that the two girls were still in the room, as did Zelda. Link whispered in her ear, "Calm down, Zelda. We're going to get him back."

"Link, how? I haven't seen my _son_ in nine years. And now, he might die before I even get to. At least you've gotten to see him!" She shook her head, composing herself once more, "We'll talk about this later."

Link nodded, and Zelda looked at Emri and Claire, smiling, "I'm sorry. I don't believe I've properly introduced myself. I am Zelda, Princess of Hyrule." Her eyes looked at Claire, and her face dawned with nostalgia, "Ah, Claire. It's good to see you again. How have you been?"

Claire shrugged, "Decent enough."

Zelda smiled, and looked at Emri. She cocked her head, taking a few steps forward, "So, you must be Emri Cailyn, the heir of Nayru." She smiled warmly, "The Goddesses have told me great things about you."

Emri flushed, and looked down at her feet.

Zelda clapped her hands together, "So, you must be tired. Guest rooms are up the stairs and in the entire west wing. Take your pick," and then she took Link by the arm, whispering, "and we need to talk."

Claire watched at the princess dragged Link away. She looked at Emri, "Forceful, isn't she?"

"She's gotta be. She has to run an entire country that's in a war." Emri defended the princess. "I wouldn't be surprised if she could wield a sword."

* * *

Shea stared at the wall with disgust. It was mocking him… it was mocking the fact that there was no possible way out.

He slid down to the ground, eyes half open. Ever since the Exelian King's visit, no one had come. Not even a rat. An occasional insect here and there, but otherwise, Shea was alone.

Perhaps he should get used to it. He was going to be here a while; he understood that. Claire and Emri might not be able to find him… the desert was unfairly vast. He had made it clear that he didn't want to see the likes of Blaize as long as there was breath still in his body… which probably wouldn't be long, now.

Shea sighed. He had been so close… so close! Only a few more miles, and he would have been in the safe confines of Hyrule Castle.

Would Emri and Claire have reached the castle now, and have told his mother what happened to him? Trace seemed to have known the princess… would he tell her? What would she think, to know that her son wasn't coming?

Well, that just made him feel so much better about himself. Shea scowled at the idea of being the rescue-ee. He didn't like the fact that he was going to have to depend on other people… he had been let down one too many times already.

His mind went back to the night of Rhairu's Messenger. Hadn't the creature told him that Rhairu was watching? Didn't that also mean protecting?

Shea closed his eyes, and started to hum a tuneless melody. Something clicked in his mind, and tune flowed into a quiet lullaby. It sounded so familiar, but he couldn't place where he had heard it before…

"It was mine," he whispered after a moment of pondering his new discovery, "she sang it to me, once."

This only made him more discouraged at how close he had been.

There was a _clang _and footsteps. Opening his eyes, Shea saw three Exelians walking towards his cell. Groaning inwardly, he let his imagination wander as to what they wanted with him…

--Blaize--

Blaize tapped his foot impatiently. In the back of his mind, he thought, _This was a habit of Shea's…_

Immediately, he turned to drumming his fingers on his arm.

The king stood next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder, "Today is a day that we take our first step into history, with you at our head."

Blaize kept a straight face, "He won't be hurt." This wasn't a question.

"A little pinch here, a twinge here. Nothing that he can't handle," The king patted Blaize's shoulder before walking over to the group of sorcerers and magicians.

Today… what about yesterday? When no one was separated; no one was angry. What about when they all laughed, and they all decided what to do as a group?

But he couldn't let that bother him now. Today was when he was to receive unbelievable power, and cleanse Hyrule of the filth that had gotten rid of his ancestors: the only truth he had ever known. Today was when the Exelians claimed their right as leaders, and rulers.

That is, if Shea would cooperate.

Blaize snorted. He knew Shea better than that. He would sooner die than let the Exelians have their way…

But their way was the _right _way! He had grown up his entire life being taught that. He had worked so hard, ever since the accident, to master and hone his born ability. The king had been a father to him, ever since his blood-father had died in the fire.

A door opened, and three men came, dragging a defiant looking Shea. He shrugged off any Exelian that tried to retain him, snarling at any command he was given. There was a moment when Blaize thought he and Shea locked eyes, but he couldn't be sure. He felt the hatred emanating off of Shea.

As they stopped walking, the Exelians grabbed Shea's arms as the king walked up to him. It was obvious that had they not done so, Shea would have attacked the king right then and there. So, he settled for glaring, and spitting at the king's feet. Glaring up at him, he growled, "I just realized that I don't even know your name. I hardly find it fair that you know mine, and I not knowing yours."

The king raised an eyebrow, "Balthazaar."

Shea smirked, "Good. Now I can properly damn you to hell."

Blaize refrained from snorting. It was strange… when this journey began, Shea would never have said that to anyone.

Balthazaar frowned, leaning down towards Shea, "You're lucky you are of utmost importance, or that little comment of yours would have had you killed."

"Oh," Shea was still smirking, "so does this mean I can insult you all I want, and _nothing will happen?_" His smirk turned malicious, "Your breath smells like a reekfish. I don't understand why. Do you eat those things? I've heard that they're disgusting." Shea looked thoughtful for a second, before putting on a mask of fake sudden realization, "I guess that explains you!"

The king stood, and quicker than anyone could blink, backhanded Shea across the face. Shea had his eyes closed tight from the flinch, and he slowly turned his head back to look at Balthazaar. He shrugged the Exelians off of him, and he stood straight. Balthazaar leered at Shea, snarling as he turned on his heel. He looked at the magicians, growling, "Begin it. Now!"

Shea watched as the Exelians holding him backed away. Blaize could see him thinking… of escape? Probably. That's what would probably be on his mind, if he was in Shea's position. But Shea didn't run; he didn't even move.

Balthazaar came to stand at Blaize's side. "I'm not going to lie, my boy. Your friend is going to feel excruciating pain. We are, as you know, extracting Rhairu's essence to the surface of his very being."

Blaize looked at the king, before looking at Shea once more. Did he know?

--Shea--

Shea's pulse quickened as the magicians laid stone down after stone, encircling him in what was probably a barrier. When the last stone was laid, they all turned blue. They made slight humming noises.

Panicking a little, Shea reached his arm out. There was a jolt, and an invisible force-field rippled from where he touched. The shock of the magic went up his arm, vibrating through his nerves and blood. It wasn't until the shock reached his shoulder did it die away.

The Exelian magicians circled around the barrier, hands out. One was chanting in a language that Shea didn't understand. He wondered if anything was supposed to be happening.

It wasn't until the other four joined in on the chant did he feel the magic's effects. His pulse pounded like a drum, vibrating in his ears. The constant beat grew louder, echoing in his head until he couldn't hear anything but the pounding. Falling to his knees, he covered his ears, hissing as he drew in breath.

Then, something inside of him began to stir. It was like a creature awakening from sleep, clawing at his insides, wanting out. The creature writhed with anxiety, biting and tearing at its chains, wanting to escape.

Shea's breath quickened, as stared at the ground with wide eyes. His vision was impaired, as he couldn't see anything… he just saw white. He saw white when his skin began to crawl, all the muscles in his body started to spasm. Lightning tore through the tissue, burning all the ligaments and joints, making him not want to move. Because moving would only hurt him more.

And then everything went still. The pain dulled to a low throb, as his mind raced. Image upon image flashed before his white vision: he saw a horse riding away in the distance, with a woman on its back; there was the many faces of Claire as a young girl, and as Claire grew older; there was Blaize; there was watching his home burn; there was being captured by Exelians; escaping in a blaze of fire; Emri attacking; kissing Claire… up until now.

But there was no sound. He saw, but did not hear.

The pain returned with a rush of darkness. His own consciousness felt like it was being taken over by the creature that was raging inside of him… his mind was fighting it, wanting to stay sane.

There was a brief moment when vision returned to his eyes, and he writhed against the hands of many Exelians holding him down, the magicians each flipping through page upon page, reading spells and incantations. Obviously, this was proving to be more of a chore than what they had thought.

His hand flew up, backhanding an Exelian on the chin. The victim was suddenly gone; Shea couldn't figure out why. There was a faint crash in the background.

And then another Exelian came to take the previous one's place, holding down Shea's wrist. But by now, Shea couldn't see what was going on. He could only hear the chaos that was ensuing, feel the rough hands on his arms. All of his senses were fluctuating.

And then everything went silent. The pain disappeared, his vision returned. His chest heaved as he took deep gulps of air. He stared at the ceiling with wide eyes, feeling exhausted… he felt numb as Exelians hoisted him up by his arms, and dragged him off to his cell once more.

But he felt the strange presence of a god inside of him… and the god was furious.


	31. Awakening

Chapter 30 

"-so what do you mean, 'Not right now?' Shouldn't Shea be our first priority?" Zelda hissed, "He's your son, too!"

Link rubbed his temples. He'd been listening to Zelda rant for about an hour, after he'd told her exactly what happened before, during, and after the ambush. He'd interrupted plenty of times to correct her on the facts, and despite her being angry with him at revealing himself, her fury was re-directed towards the possibility that Shea might not be rescued for some time.

Taking a deep breath, Link explained, "Zelda, you know the Gerudo desert. No one has yet attempted to map it out, because the landmarks are always changing. If I were to take the entire army out there, it would result in fatigue, dehydration on mass numbers, and possibly death-"

"Then why don't you go?" Zelda countered.

"I can't take on the Exelian army on my own! I _might_ have been able to, once, but I'm not as young as I used to be."

Zelda's mouth quirked up, "Aw, my hero's getting old!" she playfully taunted, before frowning again, "It's a sad truth… you're right. There's no way one man can take on an army on his own." She turned around, and sat down wearily in a chair, rubbing her eyebrows. "The only option is to send the army, or you take Claire, Emri, and a few soldiers to storm the place. But, either is risky, and will take time to prepare for. _Time that we don't have_."

There was a knock on the door, and Zelda sighed wearily, "Come in."

Emri poked her head in the door, "Um… something's wrong." When she got strange looks from Link and Zelda, she fixed her statement, "Well, something doesn't _feel_ right."

Both of the adults' brows furrowed. "What do you mean?" Zelda stood again, looking at Emri with confusion.

The girl slipped in through the door, closing it behind her. "This." She held up her left hand. The Triforce was blinking slowly, each time fading. "Within the last half hour, I've been feeling… exhausted? I don't know the word for it, but I've felt my energy fluctuate in random, sporadic pulses. You don't think it's…" she trailed off, looking from Link to Zelda, and back to Link again.

Zelda looked absolutely horrified. "They've begun extracting Rhairu from Shea…"

Emri looked at the princess with confusion. "Extracting?"

Link was rubbing his temples, and grinding his teeth, "It's the painful process of awakening a god's essence in their demi-gods. They pull the essence from deep within the soul's core to the surface. And since it was Rhairu's essence, nature's Balance has been tilting from side to side during the time when the Balance became unsteady. Today, if the Exelians were successful, the Balance should have only affected you, Claire, and Blaize. Tomorrow, the earth itself might be affected. Earthquakes, volcanoes… every possible natural disaster will occur. That is, it all depends on Shea's mental strength. If he can hold on long enough to his mentality, Hyrule should be safe until we go rescue him."

Emri was thinking hard, "Wait… if this process is as painful as you say it is… wouldn't the victim eventually…" she swallowed, "die? The human body can only handle so much pain before everything just shuts down."

Zelda ran her hands through her hair, exhaling nervously, "Y-yes, Emri. That is correct."

"That's why this is a risky gamble," Link offered, "Should Shea die, we and the Exelians lose our advantages, and the world goes into chaos. Rhairu withdraws his power in the event of his anger, Din and Nayru resume their fighting, and Farore does her own thing. No one wins."

Zelda stood, and walked over to Link. She poked him hard in the chest, "_That's _why we need to get Shea as soon as possible!"

Knowing that he's lost, Link nodded with defeat, "The only problem is this: Who do we send? The army, or the search party?"

Emri timidly raised her hand, "If my opinion is any consolation at all, I think it would be wiser to send a smaller group. The army would only take more time to prepare, and then actually transport to the Gerudo desert. The fatalities would be more; and Hyrule needs all the protection it can possibly get. In the event that we do save Shea, the Exelians will attack, and if you send your entire army to get Shea, which will lead to the mass fatalities previously mentioned, Hyrule is lost."

Now it was Link's turn to look smug as Zelda sighed in defeat. "Search party it is. Link, gather the best of platoon seven. Five men should suffice; Emri, go find Claire. Tell her to pack up. You leave tonight."

* * *

Unbeknown to Shea, the rescue party was three days into the journey. And during those three days, his torture only got worse and worse. Twice a day now was he brought from his cell, only to be torn apart as the Exelians pulled Rhairu from him… he was too tired now to eat, to move, to even think.

And twice a day did he see Blaize watching him with those vile, red eyes.

He drew in a shallow breath when he heard the prison door open. He wanted to cry… he wanted to curl up and cry. He didn't know how much more of this he could take. Was he just an object to be used, and then thrown away?

That question had already been answered…

The Exelian king was among the group that had come to retrieve him. He opened the cell door, and walked in. He crouched by the broken teenager, dangling a pendant in his face, "You remember this?"

Shea focused his eyes… it was his necklace. It was his mother's necklace that she had given to him on his sixth birthday. He saw his eye reflected on the gold… it was still polished like it was new.

Balthazaar smirked, "Tired?"

Shea pulled enough energy to glare.

The king laughed, laying the necklace over Shea's neck. He stood, and walking out of the cell. The 'thugs,' as Shea had begun to call them, entered. He groaned inwardly as he was forcefully pulled up and dragged. This was only the first time today… or was it the second? There were no windows, so it was impossible to discern the time of day. All of his days felt meshed together.

He only hoped that Claire didn't forget him.

--Blaize--

Blaize yawned. He was pulled from his sleep once more to watch the extraction of Rhairu. From where he was standing, it looked more painful than anything he had ever encountered. During these hour long periods, he felt power in him. It fluctuated, of course, but he felt it grow… there were times when he felt ten feet tall, like he was invincible. Was this what the Great Lord Ganondorf felt? Invincible? It must have been.

But this time was the final time. The king had said that the essence was almost to the surface of Shea's soul, and then he could manipulate him to give Blaize all the more power… tilt the delicate Balance towards Power.

Shea was pulled into the room, and thrown on the ground. The teenager didn't even attempt to move. His back rose and fell with the shallow breaths; Blaize felt a pang of pity. He felt a pang of regret, but it was overshadowed by his beliefs.

The magicians didn't need to put the barrier around Shea. He wasn't going anywhere.

Blaize leaned against a wall, and watched as the magicians started to chant. Almost immediately, Shea started to scream curses. But, they were jumbled together in the Ancient Language—proof that Rhairu's essence was almost there.

Blaize looked up when something cracked. Was the ceiling breaking? Or was there a thunderstorm going on outside of the fortress? There was another crack when Shea screamed a raw-throated cry.

He shakily pushed himself to his knees, grabbing his head, shaking it violently. Blaize blinked when he thought he saw lightning crackle at Shea's fingertips.

_"Well," Emri took a shuddering breath, "I saw fire. Lots of it. And then lightning. There were screams of agony, and someone was crying". _

Blaize shuddered when Emri's voice echoed in his head. Fire… him. And lightning… he couldn't shake the feeling that Shea had something to do with that.

There was a scream, and Blaize could see tears rolling down Shea's face. The pang of remorse hit him again… Shea didn't deserve this. He'd done nothing wrong.

This was wrong.

_But what about everything that you've been taught? Everything that you've worked for? _The voice in the back of his mind said slowly.

Blaize shook his head. This was for the good of all. The world was about to be cleansed…

The chief magician looked at the others, nodded, and in unison closed their books. They backed away from Shea… he was on all fours, breathing hard. Slowly, he looked up…

Something in Blaize's throat caught. A cold chill of fear swept over him as he met Shea's eyes.

They were the eyes of Rhairu; eerie, yellow-white, completely empty… and hating the Exelian they were looking at.

Suddenly, the earth below them rumbled, and Shea stood, lightning crackling from his palms. An invisible wind whipped around him, wisps of white fire appeared from his feet as he took a shaky step forward… with every step, thunder boomed overhead, and the earth shook as the unsteady Balance shifted.

Blaize felt strong, and then weak… strong, and then weak… with the confusion of Shea, mixed with the anger of Rhairu, the Balance was extremely delicate.

It was then as Shea continued walking did Blaize realize that the newly awakened demi-god was walking towards _him_.

"Oh, shit." Blaize swore under his breath, balling up his fists. His forearms grew warm, and then blazing hot. If it came down to this... so be it.

Blaize swore again when his arms cooled, and then blazed again. This was going to be difficult.

The ground rumbled again, before there was a deafening roar. The ground that Shea was walking on cracked behind him with every step he took. Magma and rock flew out behind him, fatal projectiles to the on-looking Exelians.

Shea stopped walking, and looking around. He wordlessly raised his hand, and a sphere of blue electricity formed in his palm, crackling. He calmly looked at Blaize, and hurled the lightning ball at him.

Blaize swore loudly, and leaped out of the way. Sphere after sphere followed; he ran, jerking his arm, yelling, "Come on, come on, come _on!_" as no red-hot flame enveloped his arm.

Exelians poured out of the doors and hallways, drawing their weapons as they rushed Shea. He lazily rolled his head to look at them, and flicked his wrist. The Exelians all flew backwards from the ripple that came from the ground.

Shea turned his attention back to Blaize, who was desperately trying to bring fire to his hands.

"Coward… traitor… filth…" Shea hissed in a voice that was not his own. The tone was hollow as it echoed around the yells of the frightened and wounded Exelians, "How dare you use my power for your own wills? You have brought the wrath of Rhairu down upon you. You seek Power: I _am _your power! I _am _Rhairu: I _am the Balance!_" Shea threw another sphere of lightning at Blaize. The pyro rolled out of the way, swearing profoundly.

There was a _twang _of a bow, and Shea raised his hand, catching an arrow as it flew towards him. He looked at the arrowhead with interest, before looking at who the assaulter was. Balthazaar stood on a balcony, holding a bow.

Shea started to chuckle, crushing the arrow in his hand. "Do you really think that earthy materials such as these can harm me? You're dealing with the most powerful god in the Heavens: You're dealing with Rhairu, now."

The white fire around his feet intensified, and Shea's hair turned white, growing in length. A brilliant, white light enveloped him, and Rhairu stood in all his glory, lightning flashing around his fingers.

The Exelian king looked at the god in horror, before tossing the bow down and running back through the door. Rhairu only laughed. He looked at Blaize, and began tossing a ball of lightning in his palm. "Do you dare cross me?" He cocked his head, questioningly. "Your Power is gone. I have shifted the Balance away from you. It's completely gone."

Blaize's eyes widened in fear as Rhairu approached him. The god crouched next to the Exelian, and put a hand on his forehead. "You will not remember anything of this day. You will not harm my mortal-self. Now, sleep. I have exhausted this body far too long."

Rhairu removed his hand from Blaize's head, and the Exelian's eyes closed as he fell on his side. Rhairu walked back to the center of the room, and sent a line of electricity out, and wrote on the wall: _Rhairu has left his warning; Cross me again, and I will strip all the powers of those individuals who dare abuse my sisters' gifts. Let it be known to all of Hyrule! _

Sending out one last shockwave, the floor cracked and cleaved upwards; Exelians screamed in pain as rock sliced through skin, and lightning struck those unfortunate. Rhairu looked up, closed his eyes and the light around the body faded, leaving Shea lying on the broken floor, Triforces on both hands gleaming.

* * *

"The quakes stopped." Claire observed as she looked around warily, and she looked at her left hand. The Triforce had been flashing brightly for the past hour and a half, as had Emri's. Now, it shined strong and solid. "Trace! What's going on?"

"The Balance must be shifted towards your favor." Link answered, climbing out from under the tarp they had pinned down during the quakes. "And since the wind has calmed, and the earth is still… that must mean that either Shea is himself again, or they've gotten Rhairu to calm down. How they would do that, though, slips my mind." He looked around, "Alright, get up! Time to move."

Five soldiers climbed out from the tarp, squinting in the desert sun. They each took drinks from the water skin, and belted on their swords.

Emri was the last to climb out. Her eyes still were very wide from the fright of the violent earthquakes, and her hair was falling out of its ponytail. She warily looked around and stood up, sniffing. She ignored all the smirks she got from the men and Claire as she redid her ponytail.

Claire helped them fold the tarp up, and stuff it in one of the backpacks they had brought along. One was filled with water. They were in a desert, what else could one expect?

Emri went over to the water-bag and dipped a ladle in it. When she was done drinking, she groaned, "I feel wasted. Stupid Balance…" she took another drink of water, "stupid desert…"

Claire skipped over to the rambling Emri, and grinned, "Not in a good mood?"

"…stupid earthquakes… stupid sand…"

Emri apparently wasn't in her normal, mature mood.

Link was tapping his foot impatiently. Claire noticed that he had the same stance that Shea had when he was tapping his own foot. Like father like son.

She hoisted her pack over her shoulder, and waited. Emri was staring down at hers with disgust, before sighing and picking it up.

"…stupid Blaize…" Claire heard her mutter.

Link pointed up ahead, "See those spires? Keep those in your sight at all times. That's our marker. Don't lose sight of them. Move out!"

The soldiers moved in single-file, whereas the two girls wove in different walking patterns.

They walked as the moon set and the sun rose. By morning, they were much closer to the spires than what they had been before. But whether it was the desert heat playing tricks on them, their own eyes, or in reality, the spires seemed to dance away from them with every step.

Claire wiped her brow with a cloth, and took a deep breath, "Let it be known to all the specks of dust in this freaking desert: I hate you!" She bellowed, almost sadistically.

"I second that!" Emri raised her hand wearily.

Link turned around, and grinned, "We're almost there."

Emri frowned, "Yeah, and _then _we have to walk _back _with a most likely unconscious Shea!"

Link rolled his eyes, turning around again to walk forward, "We won't have to worry about that."

Emri looked down at her feet as she walked. Claire tilted her head, and nudged her with her elbow, "What's up?"

Looking at Claire out of the corner of her eye, Emri said softly, "I saw him."

The words sank in slowly, as Claire understood. "So, what was he doing?" She said just as softly.

"I don't know how to explain it… it was when we were taking cover from the earthquakes. But he wasn't… _Shea_. I had never seen him so angry. Even though I wasn't physically there, I was scared."

Claire bit her lip; she didn't know what to say. She could only imagine what Emri saw from her brief description.

She readjusted the strap on her shoulder. "I only hope we get there in time."

* * *

**_-Cackles- I have the last chapter under locks... Yes, that's right! One more chapter until Forever After is done with! Or is it..._**

**_Leave LOTS of reviews! I want to see what you all think is going to happen to Shea. I wish to know what's going on through the heads of my readers. _**

**_No reviews no end of the story. That's just the way this is going to work. Boy, am I feeling evil today..._**


	32. The Second Promise

_**Omigosh, everyone! Here it is, the chapter you've all been waiting for! The end of Forever After. **_

**_But have no fear, a sequel is... almost here! No, not really. I just barely started getting ideas for it, so it might not be out for a while. I have a summary of what I want it to be like on my profile page, so go indulge yourself on that to calm your fears and spasms. _**

* * *

Chapter 31

Link signaled, and the scouts moved ahead, positioning themselves on each corner. Claire and Emri followed them. They had been in the fortress for five minutes, and so far, they had met no opposition. At all.

Claire leaned against a wall, looking around the corner carefully. She heard some scratching noisesƒ furrowing her eyebrows, she looked upƒ and screamed.

Link whipped his head around, drawing his sword.

Claire had sunk to the ground, pointing at what had caused her to scream. Biting her nails, she stammered, "Sp-sp-sp-_spider!"_

Emri blinked, before doubling over, laughing.

Link frowned, sheathing his sword. "I thought the whole point of this part was to be silent."

Claire scurried away from the wall, "Sorry, sorry. No more noise from me. I promise."

After Emri had taken some calming breaths, the group moved forward again.

"...haven't seen Jakx in a while."

"Last I saw 'im, 'e was heading towards th' extraction room."

Link looked around quickly, pushing the two girls into a dark corner, disappearing into another shadow. The other soldiers did the same as two Exelians walked by, talking amicably.

"I thought the extraction was done with. Come to think of it, I haven't seen Hex in a while, either." The first said.

The second waved it off, "Hex is always goin' missin'. Did ya feel those eart'quakes earlier? I was off sleepin' and th' eart'quakes woke me up. I fell of off th' bed."

"I heard that the Rhairu kid was going berserk. Maybe, that's the reason why we haven't seen nobody..."

Claire was holding her breath as the Exelians passed. They were _huge_! She could only imagine what would happen if she got caught up with one of them...

As their talking died away, Link slipped out from the shadows and signaled for the others to do so, as well.

They met up at a corner, and Link looked at Emri, "Find the extraction room."

Emri saluted, and her eyes went blank.

"Watch for Exelians," Link told the soldiers.

The soldiers nodded, and scattered, slipping from shadow to shadow.

Claire leaned against a wall, waiting. _I really hope that there aren't anymore spiders..._

Emri shuddered, "This place is beyond confusing! But it's past this hallway and down a few levels. And it's in wreckage. Shea's lying in the center of it, completely out. Exelian bodies are littered everywhere... can't miss it!" Emri added with authentic cheer.

Link nodded, and whistled. The soldiers appeared again. It made Claire wonder what they specialized in... they certainly didn't move like regular arm-to-arm combat fighters.

"They're scouts," Emri whispered in Claire's ear.

"Right. Thanks."

The group quickly made their way down the hall, following Emri's directions as she called them out.

Claire's pulse was beating rapidly. She hoped Shea was alright! If he was unconscious, then there was the certain possibility that he had...

She shook the thought away as they raced down the stairs. The air was growing warmer, and stuffy. It was getting harder to breathe...

The staircase stopped at a door. Link put his hand on the door, before jumping away. There was a brief static connection between his palm and the metal door. The connection made a crackling noise.

He looked around, "Emri, give me your bo-staff."

Emri unhitched the retracted staff from her belt, and warily gave it to Link, "Careful with it."

Link extended it, and set it parallel to the door. There was crinkling noises as the electricity transferred from the door to the bo-staff, and traveling through the connection of Link's hand on the staff itself.

He retracted it again, handing it to Emri, "You don't have to worry about the charges. They transferred into me through it."

Emri looked at her bo-staff with interest. "Smart."

Link drew his sword, and threw his weight into the door. The metal door crashed open, and the group entered.

The floor was uneven, and the presence of other electrical charges made the air hot, and dry. Exelians laid on the ground; some were dead, and some were wounded.

Link stepped over the bodies, and came to one that was still alive; he knelt, looking around, "What happened here?"

The man took a breath, red eyes falling on Link, "The Rhairu kid... he... he- he went..." he took another deep breath, "there was no stopping him... he..." his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

"Trace! I found him!" Emri called from a pile of rocks, "Hurry!"

Link leaped over rocks and ledges, running over to Emri. Claire had joined her before Link reached them. The girls were kneeling by Shea. The boy's eyes were closed, and his face was tensed into worry.

Link fell to his knees, and examine Shea, "He's lost a considerable amount of weight... he's barely breathing."

Claire was pacing, shaking her head.

Emri pursed her lips, "I wonder..." she placed her hands on her head, and closed her eyes. They snapped open, white now. A few seconds past, before they returned to gray. "I can"t get into his mind. It's been blocked off."

Link looked towards the door they had come fromƒ voices were echoing. "Well, damnit." He hissed, before picking Shea up, and putting him over his shoulder. "We're leaving!"

One of the soldiers looked at Link, "Trace, we're going to stay here and hold them off!"

The other four soldiers nodded, drawing their weapons.

Link gave them grateful looks, "Hyrule will know of your heroism. Emri, Claire! Put a hand on my shoulder."

The girls did so, as Link interlinked his fingers, and a green glow surrounded them.

Claire felt an uncomfortable pull at her stomach, as she looked around. Seeing a figure slumped against a wall, she squinted, "...Blaize?"

There was a flash of green when Exelians poured into the room... and then they were gone.

* * *

They reappeared outside the Hyrule Castle Town in another flash of green light. Claire let go of Link, swaying as she walked, "Let's not do tha' again..." she said with a slight slur. 

Emri stood, shaking her head. "I've always hated teleporting... But is that how you suddenly appeared on that one night when we were being attacked by the stalfos?"

Link nodded, "And how I escaped from the Exelians the first time."

"_That's _why we couldn't find you when the villagers came to look at the debris!" Claire pointed at Link with sudden realization.

Link stood, holding Shea in his arms. "We need to hurry."

"Right-o, el-Capitan!" Claire saluted, and the group started to push their way past the crowds of people.

The girl then growled, "Have I mentioned how much I hate the city?"

"Yes, Claire," Emri sighed, pushing people aside.

Someone, as they were passing the group, saw Shea. A woman tapped Emri on the shoulder, "Is that... is that..._him_?"

Emri raised an eyebrow, knowing that it was inevitable, "Yes."

The woman threw her arms up to the sky, and exclaimed, "Praise the Goddesses!"

This only caused more people to turn their attention to Shea. But the brightside to this was that they parted, creating a path for the group to walk.

Claire hunched over, looking at everyone who was watching them, "This is bothering me."

Emri laughed.

When they were finally free of all the overeager people, Emri and Claire pushed the large gate open wide enough for Link and Shea to get through.

They walked across the bridge, and the outside soldiers opened the gate quickly.

There was a sudden movement on Shea's face. Link looked down, and briefly saw his eyelashes flutter, before they closed again.

They were inside the castle now...

"Oh Goddesses, _Shea!"_ Zelda cried, running down the stairs. Link laid Shea down on the nearest couch; Zelda fell to her knees at his head, brushing away the blonde hair from his eyes. "Goddesses help me..." she whispered softly, kissing her son's forehead. She continued stroking his hair, shaking her head slowly. She glanced at Link, "He looks so much like you..." she whispered, smiling softly.

Claire exhaled, and smiled. She looked at Emri, who had tapped her on the arm. Emri inclined her head towards the stairs. She mouthed, "Let's leave them alone," and pulled Claire up the stairs.

* * *

Later that night, Claire sat by Shea's bed-side, holding his hand. He still hadn't woken up... not so much as a muscle movement had been noted. 

He did look considerably skinner since when he was taken away... was that because he hadn't been eating? If he's tired enough to not wake up for an entire day... then Claire could only imagine what it was the Exelians were doing to extract Rhairu from him.

She sighed, and squeezed Shea hand, "I remember when we first met... I thought you were the biggest dork I had ever seen. You were such a klutz and pushover.. heh, well, look at you now. You've been through so much... you've watched your home get burned to the ground... you've lived with the lie that your father has died. You were captured by Exelians twice!" Claire realized now that she was crying, "You've gotten so strong, Shea. I guess that's why I love you so much; your strength... your entire outlook on life. It's so ridiculously positive, I feel like such a pessimist."

She shook her head, and wiped away the tears. "These last three days... I don't know. I could only think what would happen if you died. I know I should be thinking of Hyrule, and the disaster it would be if you died an all that... but the thought left _me _so empty!" She paused, "I guess this is what love is... the empty feeling when the one I'm in love with is gone. I feel so empty right nowƒ because it's like you're not here You're not responding to me... I guess that's what's making me feel so empty."

Claire touched her fingertips to her lips, "When you kissed me for the first time... I felt like I could fly. You see, Shea, I didn't have that when I kissed Blaize. It was just... Blaize. But it was almost magic when you kissed me. I _want _to feel that again... but I can't unless you wake up."

She knelt, holding back sobs. Both of her hands were grasping Shea's cold one, shaking it fervently, "Shea, you need to wake up! Please... please wake up!" She buried her face into the bed sheets, sobbing, "Please..."

* * *

Rhairu rubbed his forehead. Today had been very trying on his temper... the Exelians made him very irate. They just didn't seem to understand that one could never harness the power of a god. Many times before, men have tried. And many times before, men have failed. Miserably. 

"Come in." He called a second before there was a knock on his door.

His sister, Farore came in. "You alright?" Her green eyes were inquiring.

Rhairu shook his head, turning down the mirror that he used to gaze upon Hyrule, "Each and every day seems to be corrupting the minds of the Hylians. The Exelians' filth is spreading across our once pure lands."

Farore crossed her arms, "Well, Din isn't happy with you, at the moment."

"I'm not exactly on the greatest terms with her, either." Rhairu growled.

Farore shook her head, "She's not mad about intervention of her fight. That's completely irrelevant. You erased her Triforce Holder's memory, completely taking away his Triforce!" She shrugged, "Not that I'm complaining, but do you really think it was wise to shift the Balance so... drastically?"

"Farore, my sister, you must understand that I did what had to be done. Shea was losing control; Blaize has had more training in his abilities and would have annihilated Shea had I not intervened and done what I did." Rhairu defended himself. "Blaize had also become corrupted; his divine mission is to _protect _Shea, not harm him, as are the other two."

Farore looked at him skeptically, "_I _think you just wanted to show off. That's what Nayru said, anyways."

Rhairu turned his head towards his sister, "Now that I think about it, where is Nayru?"

"She's playing with that new futuristic cube thing... apparently, you're supposed to twist it until the colors all match up." Farore shook her head, "I can't do it. It's too complicated."

Rhairu turned his head around once more, "And when did she get this?"

"About a half hour ago. I gave it to her to figure out, and she's gone and locked herself in her room."

Rhairu rubbed his temples, "She should be worrying about her side of the Balance, not some _puzzle_."

Farore punched her brother on the shoulder, "You're too uptight. Why don't you and I go spar? Din won't; she's still upset about last time-"

"-and Nayru has locked herself away."

"So I have no one to spar with," Farore pouted, "Please?"

Rhairu rolled his eyes, walking over to his mirror again, "I'm busy. Maybe later."

Farore scowled, "You're _always _busy. I don't see how sitting in front of that mirror of yours will solve any problems."

"It's worked so far, hasn't it?" Rhairu turned the mirror up, and it turned to the image of Shea and the girl, Claire. It switched then to the Exelian king, and he was yelling angrily. This caused Rhairu's mouth to turn up in a triumphant grin. Farore looked over her brother's shoulder.

"What's he screaming about?'

"Haven't the foggiest."

Farore scowled again, "Well, I'll leave you to your 'work.' If you're not going to tell me anything, then fine." She started to march out of RhairuÕs room.

Rhairu looked at his sister, amused. "I'll tell you one thing, though, Farore." Farore poked her head through the door with interest, before Rhairu's golden eyes darkened as he continued ominously, grabbing hold of a short dagger from his belt and cutting his palm, letting the blood drip onto the crystal mirror. He continued on in a low voice, staring at the blood on the glassy surface, "Anyone crosses me again... I _will_ put the world into Chaos..."

TO BE CONTINUED...

* * *

**_Ooh, cliffhanger! Anyways, I'd like to thank EVERYONE who read this, especially my dedicated reviewers: The ones who were here from the very beginning, Anonymous Navi, Ezikiel, Draye, HaltiOvi. And those who came in during the middle who tried to review every chaper and waited for this final one; Hunterspire, and Gabbiez (I'll fix those mistakes you pointed out, I promise! I really appreciate your critiquing, and the fact that you caught the little details... 'falala...') and of course, everyone else who I forget to mention. Thank you all!_**

**_And a special thanks to my cousin, -Kat-, who forced me to write when I wanted to bang my head on the computer screen, who stuck by me when I was having family issues, and the one who is forcing me to write the sequel (I really have no idea why I am... this one gave me enough grief as it is!). Ah... I guess the fact that Shea had something to do with it... I can't just stop his story, now can I? _**

**_And then there's maclbee. She's the creator of Blaize... often times I wonder where that kind of inspiration comes from. She's one of the founders of the ideas for Forever After. Before I even considered turning this into a fanfiction, it was a simple roleplay between the two of us (originally, it was called New Beginnings, but I didn't like the title). She's got full copyright on the chapter 'Moo.' She was a genius for coming up with that one-word come back... _**

**_JAMATA! SEE YOU ALL SOON WITH NEW ADVENTURES!_**

**_Shinjiru, out!_**


End file.
